At Kids Crossing, we begin our work with families after alleged abuse and/or neglect has occurred.  For this reason, what we work to “prevent” is adoption.  We do this by providing wraparound services for families in order for them to be reunified with their children. 

Specifically, the wraparound process is a way to improve the lives of children and families with complex needs by “wrapping” services and support around each family, with the ultimate goal of reunification.  By incorporating the parents into a family team with professionals and their own community supports, and developing a strong knowledge and understanding of what each unique family needs to be successful, we are able to more quickly and appropriately reunify and stabilize the most at-risk families. 

An example of a woman whose life was impacted by the wraparound process is Sally.  Sally’s infant daughter was placed into foster care after Sally was charged with distribution of drugs, as well as exhibiting an ongoing substance abuse addiction.  After 6 months of Tisha, Sally’s daughter, remaining in foster care and Sally’s continued use of drugs, the treatment team decided they could either prepare for termination of parental rights or give Sally once last chance by implementing wraparound services with Kids Crossing.  Just after the team was convinced to give Sally another chance to succeed, she failed another drug test.  Instead of pinpointing her failures, and halting all visitations, the team decided to pay for additional urinary analyses and immediately increase visitation.  Shocked by having a team that was concerned with her needs, rather than her failures, Sally was able to slowly feel empowered which enabled her to replace her unhealthy support system with a very strong support system of her AA sponsor and church involvement.   Within the next six months of meeting with her team, Sally was able to prove to everyone that she was able to make positive choices and have Tisha returned to her home.  Sally is now serving as an advocate for other substance-abusing moms and as an example of how because of wraparound; her daughter was not put up for adoption, but instead living happily with her mother.  

-For confidentiality reasons, names have been changed-