Supporting Maryland Families Since 1999

Maryland Coalition of Families (MCF) is the first and only statewide nonprofit organization that offers family peer support to people and families who have a loved one experiencing mental health, substance use, or problem gambling challenges.  Using their personal experience caring for their own loved one, our Family Peer Support Specialists offer emotional support, resource connection and systems navigation at no cost to those we help.  We also advocate to improve services and systems that impact individuals with behavioral health challenges because these issues are important to our families and loved ones too.

What is Family Peer Support?

Family peer support is all about connecting families through shared experience. Our staff know firsthand what it’s like to care for someone with a behavioral health issue. They draw on their own experience to offer emotional support, share knowledge, build skills and connect Maryland families with resources and opportunities in their own communities.

Navigating Grief

MCF’s Director of Peer & Organizational Development, Dr. Stephanie Hutter-Thomas, Offers Insight into Navigating Grief…

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By the Numbers

families received individualized support for help with children’s mental health, addictions to substances or gambling, or involvement with the Department of Juvenile Services
support groups and workshops provided opportunities for family members to learn and connect
resources provided to families for mental health services, substance use treatment, educational support, self-care, emotional support, transportation, legal, financial, housing and basic needs
individuals were presented with information about Maryland’s Good Samaritan Law, which protects people assisting in an emergency overdose situation from arrest and prosecution for certain crimes
hours of family peer support services were provided to families who love someone with a mental health, substance use, or problem gambling challenge.