Wraparound Maine, a family-driven, team-based process for planning and implementing services and supports for youth and families with complex needs. It is associated with better outcomes and higher satisfaction. It is an evidence-based process that has been shown to help children with serious emotional and behavioral disorders. These children are having trouble at school, at home and with local law enforcement.

Through the Wraparound process, teams create plans that are geared to meet the needs of participants. The team includes the youth, parents or other caregivers, and others who are helping, or can help, the family (teachers, social workers, clergy, etc.). The team meets regularly to develop, implement and monitor a plan that will help the family solve its own problems and develop self efficacy. Wraparound focuses on helping the family work together and identify resources within their own communities. This supports families in their process and will ultimately lead to successful outcomes.

- The team includes the family's friends and relatives, people from the local community who the family fi nds helpful as well as professionals.

- Wraparound integrates everyone's efforts into a single focus with one or two priorities identified by the family. Wraparound facilitators teach the youth and family to build their own capacities. Family members graduate from Wraparound and carry on, on their own.

- Wraparound provides a source of local assistance- resources and volunteers who the family and its team need, but cannot obtain without assistance.

- Wraparound helps the families rebuild their own safety net, develop connections to positive social networks and expand positive relationships with people in their community.

- People describe Wraparound as being different because it gives them real hope that life can be better on a daily basis without professional supports.

Families are eligible if they have children who are struggling to succeed in school, are in danger of being placed out of the home, already in out of home settings, or who are involved with a behavioral health care provider. Referrals are made to Kennebec Behavioral Health. The Community Mobilization Team reviews all referrals to assure they meet eligibility requirements, and it accepts them based on that criteria and available slots. Because just 30 families can be served at a time, there could be a wait for service provision.

For details about Wraparound or to refer a family, contact KBH mobilization specialist Brandi Farrington at 1-888-322-2316 (bfarrington@kbhmaine. org), or email program director Melissa Winchester at mwinchester@kbhmaine.org.