Wraparound or Behavioral Health and Rehabilitation Services (BHRS) Ages 3 to 21
Wraparound services are behavioral health rehabilitation supports that provide individualized, community-based care to children and adolescents with emotional or behavioral issues. Services take place in the home or community, allowing the child to be with typically developing peers. Wraparound services center on the family, and are built upon the unique strengths of the child and their family members.
The treatment team includes the parents, a psychologist, and other support professionals who work to determine which services are most needed, and what level of service is necessary to address the child’s needs.
Our Wraparound Directory contains a list of individuals and organizations in twenty-seven counties across Pennsylvania who provide Wraparound services to children, teens, and young adults on the autism spectrum.
Individualized Education Program (IEP)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federally mandated program that assures a free and appropriate public education (also known as FAPE) for children with diagnosed learning deficits. When children are placed in public schools, the school district pays for all necessary services. If needed, these services may include work with a speech therapist, occupational therapist, school psychologist, social worker, school nurse, or classroom aide.
By law, public schools must prepare and implement a set of instruction goals for every child in a special education program. This list of goals is known as the child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP). For more information, please read the Pennsylvania Parent Guide to Special Education for School Age Children.
The IEP is a legal agreement between the school and the family specifying the child’s goals. When a child’s IEP is developed, the parents are asked to attend the planning meeting. In addition, both the school and the parents may invite other professionals to the meeting. These people may include:
- A special education teacher.
- A representative of the public schools who is knowledgeable about the program.
- Other ASD professionals invited by the school.
- Relatives of the child.
- A childcare provider, or a supportive close friend who knows the child well.
Parents play a critical role in creating the IEP, as they best know their child’s needs. Once a child’s IEP is developed, there is an annual meeting scheduled to review the child’s progress and refine the plan to reflect the child’s changing needs.
Parents can request an IEP meeting at any time during the year. If a problem arises, write to your child’s teacher or principal, asking to “reconvene the IEP team” to discuss the issue. The school has 10 school days to call a meeting. You can do this as many times as you need to during the year.
To learn more about the IEP process:
Or, call us at 412-781-4116