Wraparound Philosophy

Comprehensive, Holistic, Family-Driven

Wraparound is a team-based planning process intended to provide individualized, coordinated, and family-driven care to meet the complex needs of the following children:

  • Those involved with various child- and family-serving systems (e.g., mental health, child welfare, juvenile justice and special education).
  • At risk of out-of-home placements, such as residential treatment centers or foster care.
  • Those who have experienced emotional, behavioral and/or mental health difficulties.
This animation provides an illustrated, detailed explanation of the Wraparound philosophy of care that we follow and embrace.

How Wraparound Works

Develop The Plan

Families, providers, and key members of the family’s social support network collaborate to build a creative plan (referred to as a Plan of Care or POC) that responds to the particular needs of the child and family.

Implement The Plan

Team members then implement the plan and continue to meet regularly to monitor progress and make adjustments to the plan as necessary.

Complete The Plan

The team continues its work until members reach a consensus that a formal wraparound process is no longer needed.

We have consistently demonstrated that positive outcomes can be achieved despite significant trauma, mental illness, and psychosocial stressors through this strength and team based approach.

With Wraparound
Without Wraparound
Working in the community with a coordinated community based team.
Support
Out of home placement far from home for a long period of time.
What the child and family needs in order to thrive.
Focus
What the systems or providers want families and children to do.
Single system, team, and plan.
Plan
Multiple systems, providers, and plans.
Cost efficient because out-of-home facilities are not required.
Expense
Expensive due to costs for out-of-home facilities like residential treatment centers or psychiatric hospitals.
More likely to have better outcomes than similar young people who don’t receive Wraparound, across different areas of their lives including mental health, and functioning in their homes, schools and communities.
Outcome
Less likely to have better outcomes than similar young people who don’t receive Wraparound, across different areas of their lives including mental health, and functioning in their homes, schools and communities.

Principles

The Wraparound process works with families in customizing a treatment plan utilizing a wide array of community resources and services through a provider network of both individualized providers and agencies. The treatment team, including family, providers and natural supports, adhere to the following principles of the Wraparound philosophy.

Family and child perspectives are intentionally elicited and prioritized during all phases of the Wraparound process. The team strives to provide options and choices such that the plan reflects family values and preferences.

The Wraparound team consists of individuals agreed upon by the family, committed to them through informal, formal, and community support and service relationships.

The team actively seeks out and encourages the full participation of team members drawn from family members’ networks of interpersonal and community relationships. The Wraparound plan reflects activities and interventions that draw on sources of natural support.

Team members work cooperatively and share responsibility for developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating a single Wraparound plan. The plan reflects a blending of team members’ perspectives, mandates and resources. The plan guides and coordinates each team member’s work toward meeting the team’s goal.

The Wraparound team implements service and support strategies that take place in the most inclusive, most responsive, most accessible and least restrictive settings possible; and that safely promote child and family integration into home and community life.

The Wraparound process demonstrates respect for and builds on the values, preferences, beliefs, culture, and identity of the child, family, and their community.

To achieve the goals laid out in the Wraparound plan, the team develops and implements a customized set of strategies, supports and services.

The Wraparound process and the Wraparound plan identify, build on, and enhance the capabilities, knowledge, skills, and assets of the child and family, their community, and other team members.

Despite challenges, the team persists in working toward the goals included in the Wraparound plan until the team reaches agreement that  formal Wraparound services are no longer required.

The team ties the goals and strategies of the Wraparound plan to observable or measurable indicators of success, monitors progress in terms of these indicators, and revises the plan accordingly.

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