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MARFY

Maryland Nonprofits is proud to be the home of the Maryland Association of Resources for Families and Youth (MARFY).

MARFY is an association of private child caring organizations providing foster care, group homes, aMARFY Logo nd other services through more than 200 programs across Maryland. MARFY advocates on behalf of the provider community through its lobbyist in Annapolis and its member-led coalitions to improve the state’s system of care for the youth and families it serves. MARFY has furthered legislative interests such as rate-setting, labor laws, foster care and placement regulations, and procurement issues and is now considered the “go-to” group for state officials seeking provider input on the system of care in Maryland.

 

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MISSION

MARFY’s mission is to protect and enhance integrated systems of care that ensure youth and families in Maryland achieve optimal well-being.

VISION

Every youth and family in Maryland has access to the resources they need to be safe, healthy, and achieve long-term success.

CORE VALUES

  • Sustaining a diverse Community of Providers
  • Hearing the voices of people with Lived Experience
  • Promoting Justice, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity
  • Implementing Trauma Informed Care
  • Maintaining Integrated Systems of Care
  • Supporting Children, Youth, and Families

GOALS

Utilize evidence, data, and research to improve the system of care.
  1. Advocate for the state to commission an independent study of the impact of the current child caring system on youth, with attention to safety, well-being, and health.
  2. Follow national and state research and data to inform providers, state agencies and policymakers about the best practices and how best to promote them in Maryland.
Achieve greater effectiveness and efficiency in the way that provider agencies are funded and regulated.
  1. Explore options for reform of the funding mechanisms for “money follows the youth” and other models that will enable long-term relationships and greater well-being.
  2. Collect and address “micro-cases” of bureaucratic issues that cause unnecessary strain on children/families and on providers and address them collectively through advocacy.
Give voice to children and families to enable the system to be more responsive to their needs.
  1. Gather stories and other input from children and families to share how they feel the system of care can be improved.
  2. Explore multi-media communications to raise their voices.
  3. Promote improvements to the system of care based on the input of children and families.
Enable Maryland’s community of service providers to network, share information, and build their capacity for excellence.
  1. Hold conference, workshops, and events that promote the good work of providers, enable providers to network with each other and with the state and promote youth achievement.
  2. Provide forums to take collective action and share information through coalitions and online forums.
  3. Ensure sustainability through partnerships, increasing member benefits, grant and sponsor support, and making dues more affordable.

STAFF & EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

As a program of Maryland Nonprofits, the MARFY Executive Council provides guidance and advice to the governing Board of Directors of Maryland Nonprofits related to MARFY member programming. The Executive Council is comprised of the highest-ranking staff person at each membership organization that wishes to be represented. All members of MARFY may be represented on the Council. For more information about the Executive Council, please contact Keron Sadler.

Keron R. Sadler

Keron R. Sadler

Executive Director

Maryland Association of Resources for Families and Youth
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Simone Bramble

Simone Bramble

Chair

Pressley Ridge
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Bryon Fracchia

Bryon Fracchia

Vice-Chair

Nexus Woodburne
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Robert Basler

Robert Basler

Policy Chair

Arrow Child & Family Ministries
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Steve Acerno

Steve Acerno

Policy Chair

The Arc Northern Chesapeake Region
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Ashley Willis

Ashley Willis

Secretary

The Arc – Baltimore
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Learn more about MARFY membership and join today!

Related Resources

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