1. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com WrapCT PRESENTS: PLANNING AND MANAGING TRANSITIONS

2. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TRANSITION PLANNING BEST PRACTICES: Begins on day one Utilizes the family’s expertise in problem solving Is discussed and planned for at each plan of care meeting Requires exceptional crisis/safety planning Utilizes the Wraparound process in a planful and concise manner

3. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TRANSITION PLANNING BEST PRACTICES CONT’ Instills hope for a better future Utilizes a well balanced team consisting mostly of natural/informal supports Community resources and available supports are explored well before ending Success is celebrated soon and often Empowers the Youth and Family to mobilize their own team as needed

4. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com NECESSARY SKILLS FOR FACILITATORS The ability to communicate and behave with confidence and reassurance Good planning and organizational skills Encouragement and support are provided to the family in a genuine manner The ability to be introspective about who’s needs are being met and who’s really having abandonment issues The ability to be understood and plan around underlying needs Outcome oriented

5. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com FAMILIES DESERVE TO KNOW THEY ARE TRANSITIONING TO SOMETHING RATHER THAN AWAY FROM SOMETHING

6. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TIPS FOR TRANSITION PLANNING Negotiate transition with the full team Allow Family voice to be heard about transition Plan for interventions to fade over time Set clear transition benchmarks Use life domains as a guide for system exit

7. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TIPS FOR TRANSITION PLANNING Keep track of incremental progress – no matter how small the increments Let the family acquire its own sense of agency and urgency There will be set backs – look for the learning opportunity Celebrate transitions the family’s way

8. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com THE FOUR PHASES OF THE WRAPAROUND PROCESS – TRANSITION FOCUSED 1.Engagement – Learning about the family’s support system 2.Planning – Bringing existing supports in and deciding how to build new supports 3.Implementation – Building bridges to the community, enhancing or enlarging competency, creating opportunities for a better life 4.Transition – Help is in place. Team is mobilized to act when needed.

9. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TEAMS & TRANSITION Assumptions & Values People working together can generate more solutions People working together can generate more creative solutions People/Families who are hurting deserve all of the people in their lives to be on the same page The best teams combine the expertise of the system with the compassion of the family’s people In order to have full participation of informal/natural supports, system people will need to accommodate & invite Wraparound teams should be learning & doing groups Healing comes from acting together

10. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com CONNECTIONS AND SUPPORT MAP Self Friends Family CommunityWork/School

11. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com FIRST PHASE OF WRAPAROUND: TEAM DEVELOPMENT Meet with family & stakeholders Get the story Gather perspectives on strengths & needs Assess for safety & rest Provide or arranges stabilization response if safety is compromised Explain the Wraparound process Identify, invites & orients Child & Family Team members Complete strengths summaries & inventories Arrange initial Wraparound team planning meeting

12. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com SECOND PHASE: PLAN DEVELOPMENT Hold an initial (or 2) Child & Family Team Plan Development Meeting Introduce process & team members Present strengths & distribute strength summary Solicit additional strength information from gathered group Lead team in creating a mission/vision Introduce needs statements & solicits additional perspectives on needs from team Create a way for team to prioritize those needs that will accomplish mission/vision Lead the team in generating brainstormed methods to meet needs Solicit or assigns volunteers Document & distribute the plan to team members

13. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com RESPONSIVE CRISIS PLANS: Tells team members how to react immediately and responsively to the events at hand Are practical and realistic Builds on functional strengths of the team and community Include as many natural and informal supports as possible Keeps everybody involved safe

14. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com PROACTIVE SAFETY PLANS: Aim is to prevent crisis Focuses on what to do instead of what not to do Is based on needs identified in the plan of care Works towards uncovering underlying needs

15. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com EFFECTIVE CRISIS/SAFETY PLANS: Describe specifically the unsafe behavior Analyze function (unmet need) of the unsafe behaviors Take the physical aspects of the setting into account Describe specifically safe alternative behaviors New strategies reflect functional strengths, culture and choices of those involved Steps are specific and written in order of use, least restrictive to most

16. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com HELPFUL HINTS: Keep the plan focused Include rules of household, school or community Discuss rewards and consequences for safe vs. unsafe behavior Consult with people who specialize in needed area of concern Watch and plan for regression during stressful times

17. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com FAMILY VISION: A DEFINITION Definition: The family’s vision represents their goals, hopes & dreams for their own family What are the benefits of identifying a family vision? It helps families recognize the legitimacy of their own perspective & voice It creates meaning & purpose for families It helps professionals validate the right to the family to have their own perspective It helps professionals understand the family’s sense of themselves beyond services & systems.

18. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com REMEMBER Systems have no obligation to accomplish a family vision. Systems create joint goal or mission statements with families but families have a right to “own” their vision even if professionals disagree.

19. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com STRENGTHS DISCOVERY Look for functional. A list of attributes does not allow you to plan Are the key to any transition Lead to sustainable plans

20. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com NEEDS Check first to see if the needs identified when met will lead to the family’s vision Uncovering underlying needs leads to a more precise fit of strategies Families deserve to have their real concerns addressed

21. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com STRATEGIES Look to functional strengths first Should be written in a manner in which all team members know what their job is Should be reviewed for progress at least monthly

22. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com THIRD PHASE: MANAGING ONGOING PLAN OF CARE MEETINGS 1.Accomplishments – Check with family first 2.Assess progress – Check for needs met not just services delivered 3.Adjust the plan – Remember you are planning for transition 4.Assign new tasks – Use the team!

23. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com ESTABLISH YOUR ANCHORS Anchors may be Goals Results Outcomes Define what life would like if the identified need were met Allows you and the team to define the destination

24. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TIPS FOR ESTABLISHING YOUR ANCHORS Create a view Future view of a household “Normalized” view of a typical situation Create easy “counts” Avoid anything that makes too much work Percentages work/impression counts Identify the frequency of summary Weekly, monthly, at least quarterly Ask the team to review the “facts” Summarize the details Graphs or Charts Bring a summary to the meeting

25. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TIPS FOR CREATING YOUR ANCHORS Avoid the control and compliance view Rather than he must go to school it should be he will attend school because … Keep teams from going off track Avoid over complicating Limit your indicators to no more than five Impressions count, ask the family to give you a report Use your outcomes to guide the team Bring your summary, discuss it rather than falling into the detail trap

26. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com FOURTH PHASE OF WRAPAROUND: PLAN COMPLETION & TRANSITION Hold meetings Solicit all team members sense of progress Chart sense of met need Has team discuss what life would be like after Wraparound Review underlying context/conditions that brought family to the system in the first place to determine if situation has changed Discuss the what if? Facilitate approach of “post-system” Wraparound resource people Formalize structured follow-up if needed Record accomplishments; what worked, didn’t work Create a commencement ritual appropriate to family & team

27. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com FOURTH PHASE OF WRAPAROUND: PLAN COMPLETION & TRANSITION Completed Products Written Transition Plan that details how to access ongoing services/supports if necessary Written crisis plan that details who & how to contact individuals Follow up phone numbers for team members Formal Discharge Plan detailing strengths & interventions that were successful & those that weren’t Written letters of introduction for anticipated next formal service access

28. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com ELEMENTS OF GOOD TRANSITION WHEN COMPLETING THE FORMAL WRAPAROUND PROCESS Families have some sense of what comes next Families have increased confidence in their own abilities to make their own vision real Families have a sense of connection to various team and community members Families know what to do if things go wrong Families are able to chart & recognize their sense of progress since the beginning of formal Wraparound

29. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TRANSITION PORTFOLIO Transition portfolio contains the plan including a crisis/safety plan and all supporting documentation It has multiple purposes: Help the family see what they have accomplished Remind the family of effective recovery strategies they can use Help other agencies down the line know what worked, what didn’t and who to call Help the family know who to call

30. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com EFFECTIVE TRANSITION PLANS Begin early in the Wraparound Process Build on what has been accomplished Shift the balance of activity from the system to the community Assure needs and outcomes have been met Answers the questions of what will it take for the child to do well at home, in school and in the community Support rather than abandon the family

31. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com FOUR BAD REASONS FOR TRANSITIONING OUT OF WRAPAROUND Team is out of money Team is out of ideas Team is out of hope Team is out of patience

32. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com TRANSITION: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS ACTIVITY

33. Learning Collaborative WrapCT.org Mary Jo Meyers-2011 consultmjm@hotmail.com WrapCT LEARNING COLLABORATIVE Our vision as a statewide learning collaborative is that all children, youth, and families are able and capable of achieving optimal levels of functioning at home, in the community, at school and/or work. WrapCT Steering Team Jan Bendall, Rushford; Ray Bieber, Child & Family Guidance; Tim Bowles, SEMHSOC; Jill Coffin, U CF S; Dorothy Contrastano, FAVOR; Tim Cunningham, Wellpath; Paloma Dee, NAMI, CT; Nicole DeRobertis, MFCGC; Hal Gibber, FAVOR; Victor Gonzalez, Wheeler Clinic-Hrtfd; Gabrielle Hall, Clifford Beers; Mary Held, Waterbury FFP; Katy Keegan, West Haven – Bridges; Virginia Lopez, Child & Family Guidance; Tim Marshall, DCF; Tabor Napiello, Wheeler Clinic-Plainville; Kristen Penta, Bridgeport Schools; Mark Plourd, Wheeler Clinic-Hrtfd, Cheryl Tedesco, Child & Family Guidance; Paige Trevethan, Bridges; National Consultants: Verneesha Banks, Wraparound Milwaukee; Mark Horwitz, Westfield State Univ.; Mary Jo Meyers, Wraparound Milwaukee Contact information for WrapCT: Tim Marshall 860-550-6531; tim.marshall@ct.gov Contact for training material: Mary Jo Meyers 414-251-7521; consultmjm@hotmail.com