Our History

The Maryland Salem Children’s Trust, Inc. (Salem) first opened its doors in Garrett County, Maryland in 1979, providing a home, therapy, and educational services to abused and neglected children. The Salem community, though not affiliated with any single denomination, was founded and functions on Christian principles, offering healing to hurting children and their families.

Despite a long history of positive impact, due to changes within Maryland’s child serving system and intense financial pressure, Salem made the difficult decision to stop operations soon after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020.

Our Future

After a comprehensive assessment and planning process, in April 2021, Salem entered into a management agreement with Grafton Integrated Health Network, a Virginia-based behavioral health organization that has more than six decades of leadership in providing person-centered, trauma-informed, and data driven care.

Now, Salem brings to the plate its history and expertise, complemented by Grafton’s, to reach a new population with needs equal to those we have always served – children with autism, intellectual disabilities, and complex mental health challenges.

Our Philosophy

Throughout this evolution, Salem’s philosophy has remained consistent. Children require:

• Caring, compassionate adults to support them
• A team of behavior detectives who work to identify the reasons behind their behaviors
• A trauma-informed environment that provides comfort rather than control
• Unique learning opportunities and experiences, like our equestrian therapy program, beautiful natural surroundings, and wonderful community here in Western Maryland.