The most compelling results of Wraparound Oregon are the stories of children, youth and families.
Here are three:
When referred to Wraparound Oregon, Roger was nine. Returning to Oregon after a failed adoption out of state, Roger was placed in residential care. His prognosis was long-term institutional care. He had no contact with relatives; his brother was in an adoptive placement in another part of the state. He was one of the first children referred to Wraparound Oregon. His facilitator and parent partner quickly went to work to locate family. They found his grandmother only three blocks from his residential placement. She and the team worked with Roger on an individual plan of care which included a foster home, school and sports. Today, Roger is a thriving 11-year-old in public school and playing on an “All Star” baseball team. He is a TAG (talented and gifted) student. Roger is being adopted by his foster father.
Heather is a 17-year-old Native American youth. She came to the attention of Wraparound Oregon when she was facing a Measure 11 (serious crime) sentence due to violence she had perpetrated while she was on the run from foster care. When referred, Heather had little contract with family and was part of a Portland-area gang. She knew that she needed help in order to change the direction her life was going. She met with her wraparound facilitator and was reluctant to participate because of her past negative system experience. After she thought about the process, she decided to give it a try. Family members joined the team, including cousins and her grandmother from Washington. She started working with her facilitator and her team on a future plan. In court she remarked, “It is about time someone listened to me about what I want and need to make a difference; this is my plan.” The team learned that Heather was a poet. She read some of her poetry at a statewide foster care conference and spoke about how social workers can help youth be successful.
Sam is a 15 year old African American. He is 6’6” and weighs about 285 pounds. He has often used his “presence” to intimidate others to get what he wants and needs. He has pushed people away who cared deeply for him – family members and foster parents. He has been in many foster homes and has spent much of his life in residential treatment centers. His lower IQ also makes it difficult for him to see the consequences of his actions. Inside, Sam has a very compassionate approach to people. Some refer to him as “The Gentle Giant.” His deepest unmet need is to be loved unconditionally by the people he cares about. He has a history of people who helped him and really seemed to like him, but they were worn out.
One of Sam’s needs was to be with people who look like him. Recently, he was placed with an African American foster family. His foster father is taller than he is. They have developed a fondness for one another. They both get respite from each other periodically and report back that they miss each other. The foster father is also a key in connecting Sam with his family. Recently, Sam and his foster dad were shopping at a garage sale and Sam saw porcelain Nativity Set. He was reminiscing about how his grandmother loves Nativity Sets and that she collects them. The owner gave him the set to give to his grandmother.
Sam has his struggles. He was recently having a hard time in school and acted out verbally toward a staff member. He was using intimidation to get what he needed. He was taken for a short stay in the hospital for stabilization and then returned to the placement at this foster home and at his school. His foster father now has an office at the school so that he can do his work and help intervene when necessary. It is a win/win situation because his foster father was looking for an office in North Portland, and the school was looking for that extra resource to be able to take Sam back. Historically, this action has gotten Sam into a long term stay at a residential center or another foster home where he became more isolated from those who know and love him. The school site is also assisting Sam to connect to his father and other family members he has not seen in some time.