What We Fight For
See our 2026 Coalition Platforms for Children, Older Adults, and all Marylanders
Public Policy
1915. We were just getting started. Care for children and adults was institutional. Basic human rights were violated. But a movement to change things was taking shape across our nation, with states like Maryland leading the way. Caring individuals came together, took action, and fought for humane and effective care.
Life changing advances occurred: Closure of psychiatric asylums, Maryland’s patient bill of rights, and a decades long campaign to build community systems of care for people of all ages.
Help us continue the progress and ensure that every Marylander has the opportunity to thrive. We need you now more than ever.
30%
More than 30% of Marylanders in need of counseling or therapy do not receive it, a rate that exceeds the national average.
37%
The state’s 988 helpline received nearly 11,500 calls this past May, a 37% increase over the same month in 2025.
January 2026 Vibrant Data Summary. Maryland Department of Health
25%
Nearly a quarter of all high school students in the state report poor mental health most or all of the time.
Take Action
Join our advocacy network, drive change, and make your voice heard by completing our action alerts.
There is strength in numbers! Our coalitions are the proof.
Coalitions
Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition
Maryland’s oldest and most impactful vehicle for largescale behavioral health policy reform, the Maryland Behavioral Health Coalition (MBHC) brings together organizations representing consumers and families, service providers, behavioral health professionals, hospitals, health systems and more in support of policies and system reforms designed to ensure all Marylanders have access to high-quality mental health and substance use care.
Children’s Behavioral Health Coalition
The Children’s Behavioral Health Coalition brings together a wide range of behavioral health advocacy organizations to ensure Maryland policies recognize and address the unique mental health and substance use needs of children, youth and families.
Mental Health and Aging Coalition
For more than 20 years the Mental Health and Aging Coalition has provided a forum for behavioral health advocates, consumers, family members, providers, professional associations and government agencies to work together in advancing policies and practices that address the unique mental health and substance use needs of older Marylanders.