Advocates for Children and Youth (ACY) was organized in 1987 as an independent voice for the needs of Maryland children in the community and the media. ACY's vision is that all children in Maryland are healthy, safe, educated and economically secure. The mission of Advocates for Children & Youth is to identify problems, to promote policies and programs that improve results for Maryland children in measurable and meaningful ways, and to evaluate the effectiveness of programs and policies for the children and youth of Maryland.