Family Support Partners

“Wraparound” is a team approach to supporting and servicing children with serious mental health and behavior problems and their families, by implementing a plan that provides services and supports that are “wrapped around” the child and family.

A child and family must be approved to participate in wraparound, either through admission to the RTC Medicaid waiver or through a referral from the Department of Juvenile Services, the Department of Social Services, Maryland Cares, or Rural Cares. Once a family is approved, they are assigned to a Care Management Entity, which helps the family coordinate care and access services and supports. The Care Management Entity will assign a Care Coordinator to guide this process.

The family is also connected with a Family Support Partner from MCF. MCF provides Family Support Partners to families in wraparound, whose job it is to:

• Provide emotional support to a family
• Identify people that a family wants on their Child and Family Team
• Help families decide what they want and need
• Support families in their efforts to get their needs met
• Work with families to organize and prepare for meetings
• Attend meetings with families, such as at school or court
• Connect families with information and resources
• Offer support groups, educational programs, and other family activities

The Family Support Partner works together with the Care Coordinator to help families:

• Understand the wraparound process
• Choose the members of their child and family team
• Consider the strengths, needs and culture of a family using a form called the CANS
• Develop short and long term goals
• Find answers for the most pressing needs

For more information on how to access wraparound services, see “RTCs, Wraparound and the RTC Medicaid Waiver” under “Resources >> Children's Mental Health”