Meeting for 'Wrap Around Services' ? ? ? - UPDATED

[On_Call]

When difficult child was inpatient last November, his sw applied for him to receive wraparound services and he was accepted - then proceeded to sit on the waiting list for 6+ months. He was bumped up to first on the list after being readmitted in May.

Anywhoo, I just got a call while home on my lunch hour today that they want a home meeting tomorrow at 3:30. I cleared it with work and difficult child will be home from his violin lesson around 3:30, so he will get to meet whomever they send out to meet us.

I'm wondering if anyone who has services can fill me in on what to expect tomorrow. Believe it or not, I'm nervous. She said she had a file started from psychiatrist & psychiatric hospital and some info from sd and that I wouldn't need to gather any information on my end. She said there would be paperwork to fill out, etc. - and that the meeting would take approximately 30 - 60 minutes.

I'm not even sure what services they offer, except that I know they do have some form of respite available. Other than that, I don't know jack. husband and I are a bit leary of letting someone else into our lives. We have handled things every step of the way for so long, that I don't know how I'll feel. We are actually a private little family unit. And, so far, we have control of difficult child's treatment, etc. Makes me nervous to get others heavily involved. difficult child's sw said that if there isn't any service they offer that we're interested in, we can 'opt out' but that it would be more difficult to get back into the program later, if we changed our minds down the road.

Any information and/or input my wise cyber family can give would be appreciated.

PS: Are they meeting here to check out my house? Not that I'm hiding anything, but this place is definitely 'lived in'. Can you tell the whole thing makes me more than a bit uneasy?? :crazy:

 

[klmno]

I wish I knew more answers- I think we maight be starting down the same road. One thing I have learned, the house doesn't have to be a clean-pin, but they do notice any big stuff.

 

[timer lady]

Jamie,

People are in & out of my home so much that I bake them cookies for the holidays!

Our intake was totally non judgmental - they didn't even look at our home. However, it was clean as it was going to be with tweedles running around, I had food in the fridge & laundry folded & put away - just in case.

However, kt & wm stole the show - they approved PCA & respite on the spot.

Saying that, we have Integrated Listening Systems (ILS)/in home therapy services, PCA (personal care attendants) 7 days a week with respite 2 weekends a month. For a while I had homemaking because of the lack of time I had to attend to the house. We were offered RN care to set up & administer medications but with the way kt's medications are dosed the nurse would have to be here 3x daily. I didn't feel it was worth the money/funding as long as kt is medication compliant.

A home with difficult children is going to be lived in .... the initial assessment for the risk management plan had to include a fire extinguisher, working smoke alarms, a crisis plan (which they helped create), medications in a safe place (they would supply a lock box if necessary) & sharps in a safe place.

Additionally, our CADI waiver of services installed a fence in our yard that locks to keep the tweedles from running.

Whewwwwwwww.

I have no clue what your state has to offer. All the services/interventions provided here are all based on the GAF scores.

Good luck tomorrow.

 

[On_Call]

Thanks, Linda. I was hoping you would see my post! I know you have found a great support system in the wraparound services.

Our difficult child is medication compliant to a fault. He has never argued about taking his medications, with the only exception being when we tried a couple of times to give him a bit of something when he was in meltdown mode (with psychiatrist's approval).

To date, we have never had an issue with knives, although we have two blocks of knives and we keep them both on top of the fridge - where husband and I can reach them, but they are not accessible to difficult child or to easy child.

And, our house is always clean enough - especially in the last year since husband has been home 24/7, but it is definitely lived in. Our downstairs is a fairly open concept - with the center room being a 'family room' which has pretty much been overtaken by the computer and by munchkin's games, art table, craft stuff, etc.

I guess there is also a bit of guilt, too, that perhaps we don't really need the services they might provide. For the most part, although we are a bit ragged around the edges, we have a handle on things. I do admit that even one respite weekend a month sounds heavenly. There has never been a sitter we could safely leave difficult child with other than a few choice family members. If we even had one overnight respite a month, husband and I might be able to go out and enjoy a relaxing meal once in a while.

And, I know that difficult child will undoubtedly resist any effort to have him go to respite - even for a day activity. He wants to be a 'normal kid' doing 'normal things' with other 'normal kids' - his words, not mine. He will be meeting the folks tomorrow, too, so I told him of the meeting tonight before he went to bed. He wanted to know if he 'had a choice' in the issue, or if we would decide for him. He said he is 'tired of not having a choice'. Ugh.

I do think that the crisis plan and crisis team availability may come in handy in the future.

Thanks for the info. I think it would be good to at least see what's out there. We won't know until we know, right?

 

[Stella Johnson]

I was never lucky enough to get wrap around. Just wanted to wish you luck. I hope all goes well. :bravo:

steph

 

[On_Call]

Thanks for the well wishes! :wink: We can use all the help we can get. I guess that's how I should look at tomorrow. It will be good if we can take what we need and pass on the rest. Not sure that's how it works, but we can try.

 

[DammitJanet]

Jamie...

Wrap around here was a bit different than it is for timerlady. Here wrap around was an aide that spent time with Cory in school and or in the community where ever there was a need. His aide was in school with him and then they spent time out in the community doing whatever...things like at the park, at the rec center, bowling, going to movies...etc.

They would work on homework or work on behaviors...those types of things.

So that might give you a clue too.

 

[On_Call]

When difficult child was in reg. elementary school in our sd, they wouldn't provide him with a one-on-one aide. Said we could provide one at our own expense, but that they didn't think he required one. I don't remember seeing that as one of the services provided by this organization, but we'll see.

I have tidied up our front porch, which was a mess due to it being the only space available for me to keep my wheelbarrow and gardening supplies. I have also tidied up the kitchen and dining room. It really is usually quite clean in our house - just 'cluttered up' with the usual kid stuff.

I feel a bit more at east this morning, but sure I will be nervous when 3:00 p.m. rolls around.

Thanks everyone. Will let you know how it goes.

 

[Alisonlg]

Ok...I have a question about Wrap Around Services...is this the same as Voluntary DCF Services or is it different?

It sounds the same, as in the same types of services offered, but I didn't see any mention of DCF anywhere. Is there a way to get Wrap Around Services without any DCF involvement?

Every single time M is admitted to the psychiatric hospital, the staff tell us we should get the Voluntary DCF Services packet and at least look at it because seeing our child they *know* we'll need these services and all of the parents that are present at Family Night group who have these services rave about how wonderful their experience has been, but I'm scared to death (for obvious reasons).

So is this different and how do you look into it?

 

[DammitJanet]

With my son it had nothing to do with social services, the wrap around came through mental health and was paid for by medicaid.

 

[klmno]

I am hearing that if services need to be paid for by county because a person is not covered by medicaid, then social services has to get involved before county can cover it. most insurance companies won't. but my situation is a little different so don't stake anything on this opinion alone.

 

[On_Call]

Our services are through mental health - and billed to medicaid, just as in Janet's neck of the woods.

We had our meeting - three people came and it went okay. I was so nervous - and admitted it to them upon their arrival. They were all very nice - and non-judgmental, just as Linda said they would be.

We filled out lots and lots and lots of paperwork - and they left some for me to finish. We have another meeting next Wednesday at 3:00 to fill in the medicaid paperwork and for difficult child to meet the 'Skill Builder' assigned to him. She will meet with him once or twice a week to work on coping / peer skills, etc. There is respite available - not sure the frequency, etc. yet. They said they would have more information next week.

Crisis team plan will be put into place, but they said they never go to a home during a crisis - they attempt to de-escalate the situation over the telephone. Don't know how effective that would be when difficult child is in meltdown mode, but I guess we'll see.

They even said they would help us navigate the SSI journey.

All in all - a good meeting. It sounds like we can take the services we need and waive the ones we don't. So far, so good.

It will take me some time to let go of some of the 'control' I think I've got on the situation, but I think with the extra help, it will relieve some stress - and can only help difficult child become more successful in the 'real world'.

Thanks again to everyone who posted. :wink:

 

[timer lady]

Jamie,

I'm glad the meeting went well. You'll learn over time what services are appropriate for your family; yes, it does become a family endeavor & also a family service.

While all the therapeutic intent is directed at your difficult child, the respite, the daily behaviorial redirection & cues (by PCAs) & the emotion processing is a huge weight off our shoulders. It's gotten to point where the PCAs are taking on more & more of the negative so we can have more positive parenting moments.

Take what services you can utilize. I have to be honest, though, I took every service I was offered. If the professionals felt it was needed, who was I to second guess? Over the years I've fine tuned the treatment plan & services in our home.

Keep us updated. Again, thank you for sharing this.

 

[busywend]

Sounds like good news!

:bravo:

 

[On_Call]

Yes, I had a pretty good feeling afterward - and even more so today after processing things a bit more.

I thought difficult child would resist respite, but he said he was looking forward to it - thought it would be fun to check out someone else's family (??) - hope the respite family knows what they're in for. lol.

If husband was working full time, I'm sure we would take advantage of as many services as they offered, too, but with him being home, it does take some of the pressure off the situation.

I can see, Linda, where it will feel good to give some of the negative away to an impartial party. It is a big adjustment, though, as we've been struggling and trudging along for so many years on our own. Once everything gets in place, I'm sure it will become as much a part of our 'normal' as everything else.

Thanks to everyone.

 

[Just keep swimming]

Our wrap around services have changed over the last 1 1/2 years or so since we have had them. At first, it was alot of meetings to set up services that we all agreed were highly needed. Then, as parents, we have been able to lessen the "outsiders" to just once weekly outings for our difficult child with a therapist and a PCA. They take difficult child out into the community and work on appropriate manners, respsonses, ways to communicate her frustrations in a more acceptable way, etc.

We can always reinsert more services if/when they seem needed, but as it stands now, Aly is loving having an outing without us and is making major progress in life skills areas.

I pray that your wrap services are the ones best for your difficult child and your family. I totally understand the "not wanting others in my home" stuff. It took me a while, but now I understand that they are there for Aly and for us, but not to judge if I hadn't had a chance to vacuum that day.

Hugs,
Vickie