Spotlight on Child Mental Health Wraparound Support Program

For four years, The Villages offices in Howard, Lake and Grant counties have proudly participated in the Child Mental Health Wraparound Services, funded by Indiana Medicaid and the Department of Child Services. Youth, ages 6-17, qualify for the statewide program if they are diagnosed with serious emotional disturbance (SED).  Some of these areas include anxiety disorders, depression, and post-traumatic stress.

Families receive 24-7 team support from a variety of sectors, including school officials and mental health professionals. Participation is voluntary and individualized family action plans are modified to fit the child’s need.  Families typically participate for up to two years.

To date, The Villages has served more than 300 families through the Wraparound Services. Jennifer Julian, Senior Regional Director for The Villages Offices in Kokomo and Lafayette, said interest in the program is growing.

“I believe our community has come a long way over four years in recognizing the unmet mental health needs in children that often drive a lot of their behaviors and aren’t addressed.”

In Kokomo, The Villages has served 248 families since 2014. During that time, many participants have left the program stronger, with some students showing significant improvement in school attendance and performance, as well as overall functioning in their home and community, Julian says.

“The team process is collaborative with families, and we see incredible involvement with our local schools, law enforcement, mental health facilities, and community resources.”

Learn more here about the Child Mental Health Wraparound Support Program.