How do I find services for my child’s basic needs?
844-HELP4WV provides resources for needs beyond mental health. A list of family resources is available on the children’s crisis and referral line webpage. The WV Family Resource Network can also point to services and supports in a particular county or region.
The Bureau for Family Assistance partners with other DoHS bureaus, state agencies, and community organizations to help citizens find the assistance they need through specialized programs and initiatives.
- Click here to view a list of community resources.
West Virginia's Family Support Centers (formerly Family Resource Centers or FRCs) are warm and welcoming places in the community where any family member with children up to age 18 or pregnant families can go, not only in times of need but as a regular part of day-to-day life.
- Click here to learn more: https://bfa.wv.gov/bfa-community-programs/family-support-centers.
How do I get my child connected to home- and community-based services, or get a mental health assessment for a child or youth in West Virginia? How do I get help with de-escalating a child's behavior? How do I get help with a mental health referral to therapy in my home or community? How do I get Wraparound services? Contact the Children's Crisis and Referral Line at Help4WV or call 844-435-7498.
What is WV Wraparound?
WV Wraparound helps connect children who need mental health support with services and resources in their own communities. The goal is to support both the child and their family so the child can stay at home and get the care they need close to where they live. WV Wraparound mobilizes a variety of sources to make a plan of care best fit for the child’s and family’s strengths and needs, geared towards reaching a common goal.
Is WV Wraparound right for my child?
When a child starts receiving Wraparound services, they and their family become active members of a collaborative team focused on their specific mental/behavioral health needs. This approach is centered around the child and family, ensuring that their voice drives the planning and decision-making process. Wraparound strives to honor each family’s unique strengths, challenges, and cultural background, guiding them toward stability, meaningful progress on self-defined goals, and a personalized plan to access services when Wraparound concludes.
What can I expect when my family is participating in WV Wraparound services?
One of the foundational principles of Wraparound is family voice and choice. This means the family's perspectives, priorities, and values drive the entire process. The Wraparound team is a mix of professionals and natural supports (like extended family, friends, neighbors, etc.) who work collaboratively with the family to create and implement a Wraparound plan of care. Scheduling is flexible to best fit into the family’s established routine with some services occurring in the home, school, or via telehealth when appropriate.
How often will the Wraparound team meet?
Meetings typically occur once weekly while the Wraparound plan of care is being developed. After the plan is developed, usually within the first month of service, meetings will be held at least once every 30 days. The number of meetings can vary depending on the child’s and family’s needs. The regular meetings help to ensure that the family’s plan is on track, goals are being met, and adjustments can be made when needed. Service providers will meet with your child and family between team meetings as described in the plan of care.
How long will WV Wraparound services last?
Wraparound services are not meant to last indefinitely. Most Wraparound services last between 9 to 12 months, depending on the child’s and family’s needs and their progress through their Wraparound plan of care. The goal is to help the family gain the skills and support they need to keep doing well even after Wraparound services end.
Will I have to pay for WV Wraparound services?
No, parents/guardians do not have to pay for WV Wraparound services.
How can I ask about getting WV Wraparound services for my child?
Contact the Children's Crisis and Referral Line at Help4WV or call (844) 435-7498.
Where can I learn more about wraparound?
The National Wraparound Initiative (NWI) and The National Wraparound Implementation Center (NWIC)
How do I know if my child has a Serious Emotional Disorder (SED)?
The Bureau for Medical Services (BMS) has defined “children with serious emotional disorder” as children from age 3-21 who currently, or at any time in the past year, have had a diagnosable mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder of sufficient duration to meet the diagnostic criteria specified within the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (of ICD equivalent) that is current at the date of the evaluation that results in functional impairment, which substantially interferes with or limits the child’s role or functioning in family, school and /or community activities.
What is the Children with Serious Emotional Disorder (CSED) Waiver?
The CSEDW program provides additional Medicaid support to children from ages three to 21 with serious mental, behavioral, or emotional health needs. The program helps keep children with their families at home or in the community instead of going to a care facility or a group home. While they are at home or in the community, they receive services to improve their condition.
How do I learn more about the Children with Serious Emotional Disorder (CSED) Waiver?
The Children with Serious Emotional Disorder (CSED) Waiver’s primary goal is to support children with severe emotional disorders by helping to keep them with their families, in the home and with a support network while receiving the services they need to improve their outcomes, Read more and find resources here...
Apply for Children with Serious Emotional Disorder (CSED) Waiver.
How do find or request data?
- For information on data related to children's mental health services in West Virginia, please contact Laura Hunt, Director of Office of Quality Assurance for Children's Programs.
- For child welfare related data, data is now available, with updates occurring monthly, on the WV Child Welfare Dashboard.
- Click here to view the Continuous Quality Improvement Plan for Children's Programs.
