Our Mission
Inspiring and empowering people to reach their full potential and live successfully in their community.
Our Mission
For more than 40 years, NFI North has served as an indispensable resource for individuals with mental and behavioral health including children, adults, seniors, and families. NFI North provides an array of services across Maine and New Hampshire. The agency is an accredited, well-recognized, high-quality, nonprofit organization whose focus is on helping people help themselves. We accomplish this by providing specialized education, counseling, supported employment, care management, foster care, residential services and perinatal addiction services, as well as many other forms of care.
Our Culture & Beliefs
At NFI North, we are committed to creating a workplace and service environment where every individual feels a true sense of belonging. We believe that creating a place for people to belong is not just a principle, but a practice that is woven into our daily interactions, decisions, and the support we provide to each other and those we serve.
We recognize that children, families, and young people may experience disparities in systems such as child welfare, mental healthcare, education, and justice. As part of our mission, we empower our staff to make a positive difference in the lives of those impacted by fostering relationships built on respect, compassion, and authenticity.
We strive to be a place where people feel safe to contribute their ideas, express their identities, and bring forward their lived experiences. We believe that cultivating an environment where varied perspectives and life experiences are valued leads to stronger outcomes and continuous growth. At NFI North, everyone has a role in building a culture where people feel seen, heard, and valued, creating a true place to belong.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY:
NFI North is an equal opportunity employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.
Our History
North American Family Institute (NAFI/NFI) was founded by Dr. Yitzhak Bakal, who continues to serve as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Bakal was inspired to launch the nonprofit after serving as Assistant Commissioner in charge of institutions for delinquent youth for the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services in the early 1970s. In that role, he became one of the architects of the reform that created the closing of the state’s juvenile correctional facilities in favor of privatizing community-based alternatives. As a result, Massachusetts became the first state to embrace a non-institutionalized approach to care for children and youth that eventually spread across the nation.
After leaving DYS in 1974 Dr. Bakal launched NAFI/NFI (then called Northeastern Family Institute), joining a small group of burgeoning nonprofits serving youth in the juvenile justice and mental health systems. He began with one contract, the Outreach and Tracking program in Malden, MA, which he operated out of his home. After its initial success, NFI continued to help meet the needs of this formerly institutionalized population by developing a foster care component. As the effort to privatize services for adjudicated delinquents grew, NAFI expanded its services to Vermont, followed by New Hampshire and several other states.
Today, NAFI/NFI operates numerous residential and community-based programs across eight states, continuing its mission of Creating Diverse and Innovative Services for People. The organization is comprised of four corporations; the parent corporation, North American Family Institute (NAFI), NFI Massachusetts, NFI North, NFI Vermont, and NAFI Connecticut, Rhode Island & NY.
NAFI continues to grow and expand, developing continuums of care and services for youth, adolescents, families and adults at-risk. Under Dr. Bakal’s leadership, NAFI/NFI is also pioneering prevention and early intervention initiatives to help at-risk communities strengthen and thrive in struggling public housing developments and high crime neighborhoods.