Wraparound: A Guide for Families

Wraparound is the term used to describe a process of providing mental health and related services to children who have emotional and behavioral disorders. It is a term that says as much about the way services are provided as what services are provided. See: When Wraparound Becomes Runaround by John VanDenBurg, November/December 1993 Sharing.

Wraparound is a way of providing services. It is characterized by such concepts as whatever it takes, families as the primary decision-makers for their children, individualized plans, strength-based, flexible funding, no reject and unconditional care.

Over the last few years, there has been an acceleration in the use of the wraparound process to serve children and their families in Pennsylvania. Under Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT), children who are eligible for Medical Assistance (MA) have access to any treatment considered medically necessary for physical or mental health problems. Wraparound is the term used to describe these expanded services available under EPSDT.

For information about the step-by-step process to obtain Medical Assistance regardless of parents' income contact Pennsylvania Health Law Project. PHLP advocates for access to consumer-directed health services for persons with disabilities. It provides assistance about the Medical Assistance (MA) process. www.phlp.org; 800-274-3258.

Philadelphia
924 Cherry Street
Suite 300
Philadelphia PA 19107
215-625-3663
fax: 215-625-3879

Harrisburg
101 South Second Street
Suite 4
Harrisburg PA 17101
717-236-6310
fax: 717-236-6311

Pittsburgh
650 Smithfield Street
Suite 2130
Pittsburgh PA 15222
412-434-5779
fax: 412-434-0128

If you are not sure whether these services are available in your county, contact your CASSP Coordinator, or your Community Mental Health Center (Base Service Unit [BSU]).

How It Works

Although counties vary in the exact way the wraparound process works, there are certain basic elements which must be present.

Eligibility

1. Your child must have Medical Assistance.

2. The agency providing the services must be an enrolled Provider 50 Type with a mental health license.

The Wraparound Meeting

1. There must be a meeting/s to discuss, plan and develop the wraparound plan -- the services and supports your child needs. These meetings cannot take place without the family. The purpose of the meeting is to provide a forum for you to describe exactly what you need to support your child at home.

2. You may invite other people to the meeting, for example, people who know and work with your child, a parent advocate who can provide support and assistance to you in developing your plans, or anyone else whom you think will be helpful to this process.

3. Before the meeting:

• Think about what you and your child need. The supports and services do not have to be what are usually thought of as mental health services. For example, if trying to get your child up and ready for school is a problem, you can ask for someone to come to your house to assist you; or if your child needs help in learning how to make friends, activities could be developed around this goal.
• It may be helpful to think about your child's needs for school days, both day and evening time, and weekend or vacation time.
• Write down everything that you think would be helpful to you or your child. Make a list and bring that list to the meeting.

4. Because wraparound services and planning are new, some counties may not have a range of providers for families to meet. This may mean a provider could say to you, "You cannot have that service because we do not do it."

5. Medical Assistance will fund any service which is considered medically necessary. If you are denied a service because it is not currently available, ask how other resources in your county can be pulled in to create the service. Representative from the County Mental Health Program (in many cases this will be the CASSP Coordinator) should be present. Ask this person who can facilitate that service for you.

6. If you are told that something is difficult to do or arrange due to scheduling difficulties, remind people that this is not a reason for you to be denied a medically necessary service.

What to do if you want additional assistance in navigating the wraparound process:
call PIN, 215-751-1800 or 1-800-688-4226

If your BSU tells you these services are not available:

• Contact your CASSP Coordinator and contact PIN, 1-800-688-4226 to let us know about your situation.
• If you do not know the name of your CASSP Coordinator, contact PIN.
• If you still run into problems in your county, or if the wraparound process doesn't seem to be working, contact your Regional Area Office of Mental Health Children's Specialist.

Field Office and Statewide CASSP Contacts:

Pittsburgh Field Office CASSP Contact:
Elaine Bobick
State Office Building
412-565-5432
Fax: 412-565-5393
Email: EBobick@dpw.state.pa.us

Statewide CASSP Contact
Harrisburg State Hospital
Sherry Peters
717-772-7855
Fax: 717-772-7827
Email: SPeters@dpw.sate.pa.us

Harrisburg Field Office CASSP Contact:
Barbara Johncour
Harrisburg State Hospital
717-772-6835
Fax: 717-772-6650
Email: BarbaraJ@dpw.state.pa.us

Scranton Field Office CASSP Contact
Mike Orr
State Office Building
570-963-4943
Fax: 570-963-3050
Email: MikeO@dpw.state.pa.us

Philadelphia Field Office CASSP Contact:
Richard Gladstone
Norristown State Hospital
610-313-5731
Fax: 610-313-5845
Email: RGladstone@dpw.state.pa.us

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