Mission & Philosophy
Our mission is to support children with mental health needs to be successful in their community and to reduce their risk of institutional placement by creating and coordinating family-focused services that are flexible, strength-based and culturally relevant. We believe the best way to support our mission is by using a "wraparound" philosophy. Wraparound is a way of providing services and support to children and families using a collaborative team-based approach. The basic philosophical elements to this way of delivering care include:
- Voice – The child and family are active partners in making treatment decisions.
- Team – The approach must involve a team consisting of members of those social systems (family, school, community, neighbors, church) who are most important to the child.
- Community-Based – Mental health treatment success is best achieved in the community in which the child lives.
- Culturally Competent – The process must be built on each family’s unique values, preferences, and strengths.
- Individualized – Every child has different needs and abilities and treatment plans need to reflect this.
- Strength-Based – Mental health treatment success can be best achieved if we focus not only on the problems of a child and family but also what is going well and is healthy about the family.
- Natural Supports – The use of informal community supports such as neighbors, church or friends is important to the success of children.
- Continuity of Care – Unconditional commitment to continue to help the families through whatever services are necessary to meet their treatment goals.
- Collaboration – The child is best treated if all the important systems in his or her life are working together towards similar goals.
- Flexible Resources – It is important to be able to flex resources toward what the team believes is most important to the mental health needs of the child.
- Outcome-Based Services – Goals and services must be measured and treatment adjusted to improve outcomes.
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