Wraparound Information for Families

High Fidelity Wraparound helps kids and teens with complex behavioral health care needs by giving them extra help right where they live. It’s a special service in partnership with Wyoming’s Department of Health and Medicaid to make sure kids and families get the support they need. 

Sometimes, kids with behavior issues struggle at home, in school, or in their neighborhood. High Fidelity Wraparound steps in to make life smoother for them and their families. 

Here’s how it works: 

• Kids learn skills for life and stay connected with their family and community. 
• Families get special help centered around what’s best for them. 
• Everyone involved respects the family’s unique qualities and culture. 

Lots of agencies and people across the state work together to make High Fidelity Wraparound successful. It’s all about helping kids and families thrive. 

Wraparound is run by Magellan Healthcare, Inc., along with the Wyoming Department of Health, Division of Healthcare Financing (Medicaid). Magellan is in charge of managing the Wraparound program, which means they make the rules and provide training for everyone involved. 

Magellan also helps children who are part of the Children’s Mental Health Waiver (CMHW). Wraparound services are covered by special waivers called 1915(b) and (c) waivers, as well as state plan targeted case management services for the Care Management Entity (CME) program. The 1915(b) waiver has rules about family income, while the 1915(c) waiver only looks at the child’s income to decide if they’re eligible. 

Wraparound services offer a range of help for families in need: 

Community Engagement and Socialization:

• Assistance with joining social events and support groups to make friends and feel less lonely. 
• Access to community programs that respect different cultures. 

Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning: 

• Help making plans to handle tough situations and stay safe. 
• Making safety plans for when things get really hard.

Benefits Enrollment Assistance: 

• Help getting money for food and other needs. 
• Assistance with filling out forms and understanding how to qualify for help. 

Care Coordination: 

• Help figuring out complicated systems like healthcare and schools. 
• Making sure families get all the help they need at once. 

Counseling and Therapy: 

• Talk to professionals about feelings and tough times. 
• Get help with problems like feeling sad or scared. 

Parenting Education and Support: 

• Learn how to be a better parent and deal with tough behaviors. 
• Talk to other parents going through the same things. 

Skill-Building and Education Support: 

• Get extra help with learning or life skills. 
• Support for things like budgeting, cooking, and getting ready for a job. 

Wraparound is there for families when things are tough! Families who get help share their stories with Magellan, like this one: 

A Grandmother’s Story

Three years ago, one Wyoming grandmother found herself taking in her two grandchildren. The grandchildren’s parents struggled with addiction, and the environment where they were living was no longer healthy for the children.  

“When they arrived, one of the grandchildren was having difficulty eating. His behavior was disrupting the whole family,” the grandmother said. “We had no idea of the extent of their trauma. We were in over our heads and didn’t know what to do.”  

The problems didn’t stop at home. Soon, the grandson started exhibiting behaviors at school. A school counselor met with the family and referred them to Wyoming’s High Fidelity Wraparound program. 

High Fidelity Wraparound is a planning process that brings people together from different areas of a family’s life to form a team. The team creates steps to help youth stay in their homes, schools and communities.  

After working with the High Fidelity Wraparound team, the grandson began working through his trauma. He was able to eat normally and wasn’t shutting down in stressful situations as much as he had before.  

The grandmother noted, “I thought this program would just help the child, but really it’s helped our entire family.” 

One key area that the program assisted with was getting the grandson into therapy through his school. “We saw so many successes with our grandson that we wanted our granddaughter to get the help she needed too. High Fidelity Wraparound made that possible for us,” the grandmother said.  

“The best advice I have for families who are in the same situation we were is to reach out and ask for help. Sure, our friends told us not to say anything… that we didn’t want the world to know our dirty secrets. But I wanted these kids to succeed,” the grandmother said. “I was willing to admit that I couldn’t handle the situation and needed help. That’s the biggest hurdle that people need to get over.”   

The grandchildren will be graduating from High Fidelity Wraparound at the end of the month. With the help of High Fidelity Wraparound, the granddaughter is now at the top of her class, and the grandson is off of his IEP, and all caught up in school.  

If your child is already covered by Wyoming Medicaid, they can join Wraparound services directly through Magellan. To learn more about Wraparound, visit https://www.magellanofwyoming.com or send an email to WyomingInfo@MagellanHealth.com. You can also call the customer service center at 855-883-8740 (TDD/TTY 711). 

When should parents consider Wraparound services? 

• If your child is getting help from different places like mental health services, child welfare, or special education, Wraparound can make sure all these services work well together. 
• If your child is having ongoing problems at home, school, or with making friends, Wraparound can help with all these things. 
• If your child has been getting help but hasn’t improved much, Wraparound can try new things to help them get better. 
• During big changes, like coming home from a treatment program, leaving foster care, or starting at a new school, Wraparound can make sure things go smoothly. 
• If your family is finding it hard to handle your child’s needs, Wraparound can help make things easier and give you support. 

There are four types of people who help with High Fidelity Wraparound services: 

• Family Care Coordinators (FCC): Families and youth who join the CME program pick an FCC to work with. This person is in charge of making sure the wraparound process happens for the family. They run meetings, keep records, and work with other professionals. The FCC helps families see a positive future and teaches them how to make plans and get the help they need. Over time, the FCC’s role gets smaller as families become more independent.
• Family Support Partner (FSP): FSPs are part of the wraparound team and have been through similar experiences as the families they help. They understand what the families are going through and can offer support. FSPs help families deal with tough situations and find other people who can help them. They also help families learn new skills and become more confident.
• Youth Support Partner (YSP): YSPs are young adults between 18 and 26 who have been part of the mental health, special education, child welfare, or juvenile justice systems. They can work one-on-one or in groups with young people who need help building skills.
• Respite Providers: Respite services offer short breaks for families who need a rest from their daily responsibilities. These breaks are temporary and should be used less as families find other people to help them.