Patty Center – Family Support Programs
The First Years Should Be Easy to Navigate
Parenting is joyful—and demanding. MFN’s Patty Center – Family Support Programs (FSP) offer free, welcoming support for expectant parents and families with children birth through age four—so your whole family can grow stronger together.
MFN’s Patty Centers – Family Support Programs are child-centered, family-focused, and parent-led. We help families thrive with free programs promoting school readiness, child abuse prevention, and the bond between parents/caregivers and their young children.
Find a Patty Center - Family Support Program
See programs, hours, and services near you.
Baltimore City
RISE Early Learning and Family Support Center
940 Madison Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21202
Director Lezley Lewis
Email lezley.lewis@ssw.umaryland.edu
Phone
Sponsor University of MD School of Social Work
United Way at Excel Academy
1001 West Saratoga St.
Baltimore, MD 21223
Director Ebony McCreary
Email Ebony.mccreary@uwcm.org
Phone (410) 547-8000
Sponsor United Way of Central Maryland
Goodwill Excel Drop In Family Support Center
222 E. Redwood Street
Baltimore, MD 21202
Director Ashely Gaines-Seay
Email againesseay@excelcentermd.org
Phone (410) 837-1800
Sponsor Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake, Inc
Allegany County
Cumberland Family Support Center
205 Baltimore Avenue
Cumberland, MD 21502
Director Janice Cannon
Email janicefsc@msn.com
Phone (301) 724-5445
Fax (301) 724-0642
Sponsor Cumberland YMCA
Anne Arundel County
Annapolis Family Support Center
80 West Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
Director Karen Nissly
Email Karen.Nissly@maryland.gov
Phone (410) 269-4478
Fax (410) 974-2139
Sponsor Anne Arundel County Department of Social Services
Kingdom Kare Family Support Center
1350 Blair Drive, Suite G
Odenton MD 21113
Director Ashley Correa
Email: acorrea@kingdomkareinc.com
Phone (410) 672-2006
Fax (410) 989-1335
Sponsor Kingdom Kare Inc.
Baltimore County
The Center for Family Success
201 Back River Neck Road
Essex, MD 21221
Director Juanita Ignacio
Email juanita.ignacio@maryland.gov
Phone (410) 887-4700
Fax (410) 686-5479
Sponsor Baltimore County Department of Social Services
Carroll County
Carroll County Family Support Center
10 Distillery Drive, PO Box 489
Westminster, MD 21158
Director Sophie Buisson
Email sbuisson@hspinc.org
Phone (410) 857-0629
Fax (410) 386-6675
Sponsor Human Services Programs of Carroll County
Charles County
Family Support Center of Southern MD
13025 Good Samaritan Drive
Waldorf, MD 20601
Email jstrong@center-for-children.org
Phone (301) 609-0365
Frederick County
AACF Family Support Services
5901 Old National Pike,
Fredrick MD 21702
Director Nancy Noriega
Phone 301.694.3355 x1002
Email nnoriega@aacfmd.org
Sponsor Asian American Center of Fredrick
Family Partnership
8420 Gas House Pike, Suite EE
Frederick, MD 21701
Program Director Chantell Duckett
Email CDuckett@FrederickCountyMD.gov
Phone 301.600.2774
Fax 301.600.2209
Sponsor Frederick County Government
Howard County
Howard County Family Support Center
9790 Patuxent Woods Drive
Columbia MD 21046
Director Ashton Sullivan
Email asullivan@howardcountymd.gov
Phone 410.313.2273
Sponsor Howard County Government, Department of Community Resources & Services
Kent County
Kent County Family Support Center
115 S. Lynchburg Street, Suite B
Chestertown, MD 21620
Director Lisa Mazingo
Email lmazingo@kentgov.org
Phone 410.810.3790 x 7608
Sponsor County Commissioners of Kent County
Montgomery County
Family Discovery Center
1010 Grandin Avenue
Rockville, MD 20851
Director Elizabeth Cyr
Email ecyr@jssa.org
Phone 301.424.2989
Fax 301.251.7865
Sponsor Jewish Social Services Agency (JSSA)
Prince George's County
Family Support Center Prince George’s
8908 Riggs Road
Adelphi, MD 20783
Director Mariela Hakans
Email mhakans@childresource.org
Phone 301.431.6210
Fax 301.431.6212
Sponsor Child Resource Connect
Queen Anne's County
Family Support of Queen Anne’s County
103 N. Linden Street
Sudlersville, MD 21668
Director Jennifer Crossley
Email Jennifer.crossley@maryland.gov
Phone 410.438.3182
Fax 410.438.3806
Sponsor Queen Anne’s Department of Social Services
Washington County
Washington County Family Support Center
221 McRand Court, Suite 300
Hagerstown, MD 21740
Director Christina McCauley
Email christina.mccauley2@maryland.gov
Phone 301.790.4002
Fax 301.790.4007
Sponsor Washington County Department of Social Services
Worcester County
First Wave Families
10900 Ocean Gateway
Berlin, MD 21811
Director Jocelyn Snelsire
Email jsnelsire@firstwavefamilies.org
Phone 443.577.0810
Sponsor Maple Shade Youth and Family Service, Inc.
MFN’s Patty Centers – Family Support Program network is still growing, and more are coming thanks to the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future. If you would like to become a sponsor and open a Patty Center near you, please contact familysupport@marylandfamilynetwork.org
What you’ll find at a Patty Center - Family Support Program
Play & Learn for Infants and Toddlers
- Quality infant–toddler care while you’re in on-site programs
- Developmental assessments for children
- Facilitated activities that encourage parent-child interaction and peer-to-peer engagement through play, some which may have specific age ranges or themes (e.g., STEAM, Spanish language)
- Outdoor play and learn groups; drop-In playtimes
- Family enrichment activities to strengthen family bonds and create positive experiences
Parenting Support
- Classes and workshops on parenting skills and child development milestones and behaviors
- Support groups to connect with other parents and build social networks, including groups for new parents, single parents, parents of children with autism, and fathers
- Facilitated discussions called Parent Cafés for parents to explore the Protective Factors of the Strengthening Families approach and build peer support
Education & Job Readiness
- Adult Basic Education (ABE), GED preparation, and English as a Second Language (ESOL) classes and more
- Training to help parents gain skills for employment, explore career options, and achieve financial stability
One-on-one Help
- Support for parents to help achieve goals related to education, work, family well-being, and personal development
- Referrals and connections to community resources and services
Individualized support to help families identify their needs and access appropriate services - Some centers offer home visiting services to provide support and information in the family’s home environment
Health & Wellness
- Information and resources on nutrition, healthy living, and child health, as well as referrals to health services, as well as guidance and resources to promote overall family wellness.
Parent Leadership
- Opportunities for parents to build leadership skills and take active roles in their families and communities.
Please note that specific services may vary slightly depending on the Patty Center – Family Support Program and its local community needs and resources. To find the services available at a center near you, contact your local Patty Center – Family Support Program.
How it Works
You tell us what you need, and we’ll make a plan together. We partner with you—and with local organizations—to offer services that fit your family.
We use the Strengthening Families approach—building the five strengths every family needs: parental resilience, social connections, concrete supports, parenting knowledge, and children’s social-emotional skills.
Who can come?
Everyone is welcome. You don’t have to meet special requirements—centers are here for families with young children aged 4 and under in our community.
Parent Leadership
MFN’s Parent Leadership Institute helps parents grow as leaders, build support networks, and strengthen their families and communities. Ask your local Patty Center – Family Support Program how to get involved.
Quality Matters
As the only intermediary to the State’s network of Patty Centers – Family Support Programs, MFN provides funding, contract management, and quality assurance to each Center. This includes:
- Training
- Technical assistance
- Monitoring
- Evaluation
- Peer-to-peer learning facilitation
High-quality programming is crucial to our success. MFN monitors quality in a variety of ways, including:
- Ongoing employee training and clear expectations for staff
- ITERS (Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale) – a tool to assess the quality of childcare programs for infants and toddlers up to 30 months old.
- Peer Sharing – We provide platforms and opportunities for Network staff to share best practices, lived experiences, and new ideas
- Satisfaction Surveys – We ask parents/caregivers enrolled in our programs what’s working and what’s not.
Need more information? Contact us.
Resources For Families
Parenting takes more than love—it takes support. We partner with families to build strong starts with trusted care, community, and connection.