The Missouri Alliance for Children and Families (MACF) provides services encouraging families to reduce their reliance on government programs by developing personal skills to keep their family safe and secure.   The motivation to form the company was out of concern for emotionally disturbed children who were being ineffectively served by the existing public system.

In 1997, board members and chief executives of nine major private social service agencies, including YouthBridge, founded the company.  Its mission was to improve the success rate for children’s care through intensive, community-based, family-centered services rather than the traditional institutional behavior modification and individual therapy programs.

YouthBridge, along with the other owners, invested in the innovative company, which began operations in Jefferson City and St. Louis.  After 11 years, the program has a successful integration rate of more than 60 percent and has expanded to southwest Missouri and Kansas City.  More than 1,000 children are now being served, and 25 percent are being successfully removed from the welfare rolls annually.  In addition, more than 1,000 alumni of the program are progressing successfully in school and life, and the recidivism rate dropped from 90 percent to 30 percent.

"This partnership is very innovative," said Dick Matt, President and CEO of Missouri Alliance for Children and Families.  "We are one of the few organizations in the nation to work together like this, and to have such a high succes rate is even more amazing."

Visit www.ma-cf.org or click on the icon above to learn more about the Missouri Alliance for Children and Families.