A Dual-Factor Approach to Exploring Wraparound Outcomes in Children with Serious Emotional Disturbance within Community-Based Mental Health Settings

Abstract

Research has documented positive outcomes for youth who receive wraparound services; however, the specific mechanism for change has not yet been clarified. Data were collected from a sample of 253 youth with Serious Emotional Disturbance (SED) who completed wraparound services as a part of publically-funded community-based mental health services (58% male; 49% Caucasian; mean age 12.25 years). Results indicated that both environmental and individual protective factors increased significantly and risky behaviors, including self-harm and aggressive behaviors, decreased significantly throughout youths' time in wraparound services. Improvements in protective factors and decreases in risk factors were significant predictors of clinically significant mental health improvement at exit from community-based wraparound services. Study findings highlight the utility and importance of a dual-factor approach to mental health assessment when implementing and evaluating wraparound services.

Increasing Resilience in Youth and Families: YAP’s Wraparound Advocate Service Model

“…While there is no universally accepted manual for wraparound practices (Thomson et al, 2017, p. 107), YAP employs a theory of change model informed by Walker, Bruns, and the National Wraparound Initiative Advisory Group findings (2008). The Advisory Group highlights four phases of wraparound implementation: 1) engagement and team preparation, 2) initial plan development, 3) implementation, and 4) transition (Thomson et al, 2017;Walker et al, 2008). YAP's four stages of program implementation are categorized slightly differently: 1) referral and youth and family engagement, 2) assessment and planning, 3) service delivery, and 4) transition and discharge (Youth Advocate Programs, Inc., 2012b).…”

“…The work of the wraparound team is guided by the task to design and implement an individualized plan that uses community-based services and natural supports to achieve positive outcomes for a child and family (Burns & Goldman, 1999;Thomson et al, 2017;Walker & Schutte, 2004). Each individualized service plan (ISP) includes a team mission, goals, action steps, and associated outcomes and indicators for each goal (Silva, 2015; Youth Advocate Programs, Inc., 2012b).…”

“…Each youth and his or her family have the capacity to grow and evolve with the appropriate support across intersecting systems. In promoting protective factors in wraparound, YAP looks at both environmental protective factors including social supports and individual protective factors such as skills and abilities (Thomson, Carlson, Voris, Shepherd, & Batsche-McKenzie, 2017). A family's cultural context also influences its adaptive systems (Theron & Theron, 2013).…”

Looking beyond COVID-19

“…Similarly, programmes such as Mother Goose programming and Sing and Grow (Australia) engage both parents and children simultaneously through group activities such as rhymes, songs and stories to encourage child development whilst nurturing the positive interaction between parent and child through physical contact such as cuddling. The types of interactions developed in these programmes have been found to increase parenting efficacy and parents' ability to judge their child's sense of security in addition to improving children's language abilities (Terrett, White and Spreckley, 2012 [22]; Scharfe, 2011 [23]) 22.…”