Wraparound - Lutheran Child & Family Service of Michigan

True Story

Recently a family involved in the Gratiot Wraparound program insisted on presenting themselves to the Gratiot Community Team for approval to "graduate" from the program. This family arrived with most of the members of their Child & Family Team made up of extended family members, friends and support persons. They shared their story of overcoming many losses (a fire had destroyed their home and taken the lives of three family members) and of putting their lives and home back together. The Community Team gave a standing ovation to this family, and indicated to Matt Miller, LCFS Wraparound Facilitator, tha this was the first time a Waparound family had joined with the Community team in recognition of the family's accomplishments.

It was a moment in which everyone felt connected to the values and goals of the Wraparound Process and proud to be a part of something that made a difference.

Wraparound
Wraparound is a process model designed to support normalized and inclusive options for children with complex needs and their families. Our Wraparound Facilitator seeks to create a supportive team around each family consisting of involved direct service providers, school staff, supportive friends and community members that are committed to work together from a strength based perspective to provide unconditional care toward the families self-sufficiency. The Wraparound Facilitator coordinates the meetings of these Child & Family Teams (CFT) and reports to the Community Team (CT) made up of administrators and mid-managers of public agencies providing services. The Community Team is the gatekeeper for Wraparound and is the overseer of the Wraparound function.
- Wraparound assists the family and service providers to speak with one voice toward understanding and removing barriers to self-sufficiency, and goal achievement.
- Wraparound sorts out the milieu of resources within the community and brings them to the family.
- The Wraparound Community Team draws upon its' associates to respond to the unique needs of families involved in Wraparound.
Lutheran Child & Family Service of Michigan is contracted with the Gratiot County Department of Human Services, Gratiot County Community Mental Health, Gratiot County Childcare Fund and the Gratiot County Court 29^th Judicial Court Family Division to provide Wraparound to Gratiot County.