There are many different forms of ABA therapy and treatment plans. Harnessing the right model of treatment is essential in early autism intervention programs and will have a significant impact on the success of individual treatment plans for autistic children.
Let’s take a closer look at behavioral health wraparound services, what they are, their benefits, and how ABA therapy providers can use them to create holistic and effective autism programs.
What Are Wraparound Services?
A wraparound service in ABA clinics will likely include speech, physical, occupational therapy, and more. It is a comprehensive, integrated approach to providing holistic, team-orientated, and family-centric care to autistic children. The wraparound approach puts the child and their caregivers or family at the center of the decision-making process. They are supported by a team of healthcare professionals, therapists, and autism resources.
This highly effective, evidence-based approach embraces each family’s strengths, needs, natural support systems, and more to create an intensive, individualized care plan. In addition to healthcare professionals, support systems such as family members, teachers, friends, or community members will also be involved in creating the tailor-made plan.
Together, the child and family, their support system, and other team members will work to determine a plan of action, track progress, proactively tweak the parts that aren’t working, and evolve the program to meet the child’s changing needs to support future success.
The 7 Principles of Care for High-Fidelity Wraparound Services
A wraparound program is holistic, compassionate, and customizable, but it is still methodological in nature. At its core, it’s an evidence-based program based on years of academic research on the combination of factors that yield the best outcomes for autistic children.
Wraparound services are built around seven core principles.
1. Family Voice and Choice
The case manager must listen closely to the child’s family and ensure they gain their unique perspective and preferences for their child. The family’s needs and wants are prioritized in the care plan. Case managers must work closely with parents, caregivers, and natural support systems.
2. Collaboration and Assemblage of a Natural, Community-Based Team
One of the most pertinent aspects of a wraparound program is the collaborative effort between a team that is made up of individuals who have the child’s best interests at heart. This could be anyone from friends and family members to teachers, coaches, therapists, preachers, etc. People who fall into the natural support system have a high degree of importance and influence on the child’s life, which makes them a long-term, sustainable choice.
3. Culturally Competent
Wraparound plans must identify, respect, and build on the essential values, beliefs, traditions, culture, and identity of the child and their community. Team members must be aware of cultural sensitivities and strive to ensure the plan is culturally appropriate and grounded in respect.
4. Individualized
Every single wraparound plan should be treated as an individual case and applied in a way that suits children and their families. It should be uniquely tailored to the individual.
5. Strengths-Based
Each child and the care team will have individual and collective strengths. Wraparound services should focus on these strengths and emphasize positive psychological frameworks to improve interpersonal connectivity within the team. Supporting the child’s strengths also helps improve their self-esteem, which will positively impact their development going forward.
6. Unconditional
A reliable support system is at the heart of wraparound services and contributes massively to their success. Despite challenges and setbacks, the team must not reject, blame, or walk away from the child they support.
7. Outcome-Based
Wraparound services aim for a successful outcome, and the team must select key indicators that provide evidence of success and periodically assess progress. Monitoring these key indicators will allow the team to refine and improve the plan as it grows and evolves.
The Benefits of Wraparound Services
This process doesn’t just look and sound good. The best examples of wraparound services are long-term plans that require solid commitment. The team must support relationship building and the social, emotional, physical, and cognitive needs of the child and their family.
This holistic approach ensures that the child’s needs and those of their family are cared for. It’s a multi-systemic service that addresses every aspect of a child’s life to ensure they get the comprehensive support they need to make positive changes.
The team-orientated strategy of a wraparound service means more collaboration between healthcare professionals, family, and the natural support system. This team-style approach has repeatedly proven to be a practical and cost-effective way to meet the individual’s medical, personal, mental, and emotional needs in one place.
Medical Billing for Wraparound Services
Given the extensive nature of wraparound services, it can be a complex approach to bill for. When you outsource to a trusted medical billing company like Missing Piece, you can rest assured that all the administration and billing needs are handled. With our expertise, dedicated staff, and innovative software, you will see fewer denials and rejections and streamline your ABA company’s best business practices. We take care of the billing so you can spend your time giving your clients the quality care they deserve.
Contact us today to find out how we can help you.