Tools and Resources Archives - National Wraparound Initiative (NWI)
Therapists’ Views on Helping Suicidal Teens
May 22, 2023 | NWI
This article describes how therapists respond when teens are suicidal and when parents are considering tough questions such as: At what point do you take your child to the hospital? What if they refuse to go? If they have attempted suicide, do you consider residential care in a facility, where children live for weeks or months at a time? What else can you do to protect them?
Helping Children Who Are Neurodiverse Build Friendships
May 22, 2023 | NWI
Friendships and social connections are an important aspect of our lives. They provide a sense of belonging and allow people to be included in their communities. This article provides some tips and strategies to help children learn and develop the social and emotional skills they need to make friends.
Continuous Quality Improvement for Mobile Response and Stabilization Services
April 21, 2023 | NWI
Many states are enhancing their capacity to support youth and families experiencing a behavioral health crisis by implementing the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) best practice model. A key element of the long-term success of MRSS is a data-driven continuous quality improvement (CQI) process. This new resource provides detailed guidance for developing an effective CQI process.
Predict, Prevent, Plan: A New Tool from John VanDenBerg
April 21, 2023 | NWI
Wraparound pioneer John VanDenBerg co-authored this article and accompanying video describing a new tool for dealing with traumatic events. The article also recounts how the authors used the tool in their own professions, lives, and family.
Can Digital Tools Alleviate the Mental Health Crisis?
October 24, 2022 | NWI
Mental health services are under an unprecedented strain. Virtual therapy sessions and mental health apps are emerging to fill the gap.
Helping Young People Face the Reality of Climate Change
June 13, 2022 | NWI
As they become more exposed to the grim realities of climate change, today’s teens and people are experiencing increased anxiety, grief, fear or guilt about the planet’s future as well as their own. This resource discusses six ways of helping youth build resilience while they learn about the planet’s future and ponder their own.
Best Practices in Child Welfare: Resources
June 13, 2022 | NWI
The Children’s Bureau has selected a series of resources on best practices in child welfare. These resources demonstrate how prioritizing the placement of children and youth in foster care with biological family, or kin can help transform the child welfare system into one that truly supports families and maintains connections. This includes an emphasis on family finding and other child-specific recruitment strategies, best practices for family engagement, and licensing relative caregivers who understand their unique ability to partner with parents to support reunification. These resources also highlight the positive impact that culturally appropriate trainings and services and equitable supports to kin caregivers can have on placement stability and permanency outcomes for children and families.
Child Welfare Publications in Spanish
April 4, 2022 | NWI
The Child Welfare Information Gateway provides an index of its Spanish-language publications. Most of these are factsheets for families.
New Resources to Teach Children Coping Skills
April 4, 2022 | NWI
The Child Mind Institute has released a series of free, evidence-based video and print resources that caregivers and educators can use to teach their kids critical mental health and coping skills.
Family First Planning and Implementation Toolkits
October 17, 2021 | NWI
These toolkits are designed to help jurisdictions capitalize on the opportunities provided under the Family First Prevention Services Act. Part 1 focuses on planning and readiness, and Part 2 focuses on implementation and change management.