Your Voice Matters!
As someone who cares for a person with a behavioral health challenges, your voice plays a critical role in policy and legislative discussions about issues that impact you or your loved one. The Maryland Coalition of Families strives to be the voice of Maryland families and we want to help you develop and use your voice for change.
Elevating family voice is a responsibility we take very seriously.
There are many ways to use your voice and the power of your story to create change.
- Join us in Annapolis during the Maryland General Assembly to talk with legislators.
- Provide written or oral testimony on proposed legislation that impacts you and your family.
- Serve on a state or local committee, commission, or workgroup that addresses systems-level issues.
- Attend focus groups and respond to surveys intended to elicit your opinion to inform policy and legislation.
- Stay up to date on things happening in Annapolis by signing up for our Advocacy Action Alerts! Just complete the Sign Up for Updates fields at the bottom of this page.
Ready to Get Started Using Your Voice for Change?
Amplifying family voice is a core component of our mission. Are you interested in joining MCF in Annapolis during the upcoming Maryland General Assembly to add your voice to the conversation? Complete our interest form and we'll contact you when there are advocacy opportunities on issues important to you!
Getting Started with Legislative Advocacy!
If you want to stay up-to-date and informed about proposed legislation that impacts you and your family, creating an MyMGA account is the place to start. MyMGA is the Maryland General Assembly's gateway for constituents to make their voices heard. With a MyMGA account, you can track specific legislation you're interested in, sign up to give oral testimony at a hearing, or submit written testimony on a bill.
It only takes a few minutes to set up your own MyMGA account. Click on the link below for step-by-step instructions so that when the next Maryland General Assembly opens, you'll be ready to participate in the legislative process!
Looking for Other Advocacy Opportunities?
One of the most impactful ways to make your voice heard is by joining a local board or commission in your county. These groups play an important role in shaping policies, guiding services, and ensuring that community voices are represented in decision-making processes.
Each board and commission focuses on a specific topic area, such as mental health, disability advocacy, or issues affecting children, youth, and families, and available opportunities vary by jurisdiction. Serving on one of these boards is a meaningful way to share your lived experience, contribute to system-level change, and help improve services for others in your community.
If you are interested in getting involved, we encourage you to explore our list of boards and commissions, along with direct links to apply.
Status of 2026 Legislation
The Maryland Coalition of Families followed the progress of several bills during the 2026 Maryland General Assembly. We took a position on some bills and submitted testimony, often with direct input from the families we support across Maryland.
At the link below, you'll find the final status of each of these bills as the Maryland General Assembly comes to an end. Though the outcome for some bills we were watching isn’t what we hoped for, the advocacy doesn’t end because the session is over. MCF will continue to advocate for policies that make sense for Maryland families!