Medicaid Managed Care - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

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Wraparound Milwaukee saving dollars,
improving outcomes
Many Milwaukee County children with complex emotional, behavioral, and mental healh care needs ats
receiving quality, individualized services, aDowing them to live in thr home communitiesinad of an
instimiion, through the Wraparound Milwau program.
Wraparound Milwaukee is a behavioral mental health managed care pronun crving Milwaukee CoUwy
children under age 18 who nmeesihc following qualification;
* Have a cuient diagnosable mental health disorder.
* Are involved in two or more Milwaukee service systems, including the mental health, child welfire, or
juvenile justice systemss-
Have becn identified for out-of-home placement in a residential bteatmcet center. or could be returned
from such a facility with the availability of wraparound services.
'rte program uses a treatment approach called "wraparound." This approach aims to determine what
services a family really needs to care for th& child, to identify the percnal, commiunity, and professional
resources available to meet tthos needs, and to "wrap" the services around the child and family. This
wraparound approach individualizes care rasher than tying to fit a child into an exadsng csrvice clot not
specifically tailored to the child's needs.
<strong>Medicaid</strong> managed care children who met the qualifcaios to participate in Wraparound Milwaukee are
exempted from HMO enrollment and receive medical care through <strong>Medicaid</strong> fefor-service during their
participation in Wraparound Milwaukc.
"One of the nicest things about wraparound." says Ron Rogaes program ntUpervisor of the care
coordination program at St. Charles Youth and Family Services (an agency that provides wraparound
services), -is that the family has a huge input into the child's plan of cae.
Familics carolld in the program build a support team, which may include supportive people such as
extended family members. neigbbot important teachers. and friends. aloog with profesdonals suc as care
coordinators, therapists, and probation officers.
"Idealy the team is made up of whoever the family wants on the team," says Rogers. "What's really nest
about the whole wraparound procm is that the team determines the child's tretmcnt needs and the beg
way to meet those needs." he says.
Based on the child's &ad family's strengths and needs, the team develops the plan of care which draws
upon existing resources available to the family as well as the services available through Wraparound
Milwaukee.
The services available through Wraparound Milwaukee include:
* Intensive In-Home TreatmenIL