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In observation of the Veterans Day holiday, all County offices will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Offices will reopen for regular hours on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Many County services are available 24/7 on our Online Services webpage.

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Youth Initiative

WrapAround Program

WrapAround is a free and voluntary program that helps families solve complex challenges by building a strong support team around them. The program is available to families with children aged 5 to 21.

At its core, WrapAround is about unconditional, nonjudgmental care, bringing together a team of people who care about the family to create a personalized plan for success.

Make a Referral

How the Program Works

  1. Referral
    • Families can be referred by themselves, schools, the Juvenile Assessment Center or other community agencies.
  2. Initial Meeting
    • A WrapAround Family Facilitator meets with the family to explain the process and conduct a strengths-based assessment.
    • The family shares their perspective and identifies their strengths and needs.
  3. Team Building
    • Together, the family and facilitator choose people to join their WrapAround Team: this includes natural supports like teachers, friends, spiritual leaders, relatives and other professionals.
    • The team meets to discuss the family’s needs and strengths.
    • They create a custom action plan with clear responsibilities for each team member.
  4. Creative Solutions
    • The team uses creative strategies to help the family.
    • For example, WrapAround has employed a well-known strategy called “Friendly Gorillas,” in which volunteers or paid professionals provide direct, hands-on support services to the family. In the case of truancy, a “Friendly Gorilla” might call on the student in the morning, roust them out of bed, encourage them to get dressed, drive them to school, tutor them in subjects with which they’re struggling, supervise homework, and more. The “Friendly Gorilla” does whatever it takes to address the specific issues the family has pinpointed.
  5. Sustainable Support
    • The facilitator continues to support the family, but the team leads the action.
    • The goal is to build sustainable, long-term support that doesn’t disappear when the program ends.
  6. Unconditional Commitment
    • No one is ever dismissed from WrapAround. If something isn’t working, the team revisits the plan and adjusts.
    • We understand that “one size fits all” is not an effective strategy. WrapAround is all about customized services tailored to each unique family, honoring their culture and what’s important to them.

A teenager takes a group selfie with his parents, grandparents and younger sisterHistory of WrapAround

The idea behind WrapAround is as old as community itself—people coming together to support one another in times of need. While the concept has ancient roots, the formal WrapAround model was developed in the United States about 30 years ago. Originally, it was created as a way to reduce the high costs of placing children in out-of-home care due to mental health, behavioral or other family challenges. Instead of sending children away, WrapAround focused on keeping families together by using those same funds to provide customized, in-home support services.

What started as a cost-saving strategy quickly became something more powerful. WrapAround pioneers discovered that when families are actively involved in planning their own care, outcomes improve dramatically. Families were treated as experts in their own lives, and their strengths became the foundation for healing and growth.

In September 2006, WrapAround was introduced in Douglas County under the umbrella of the Douglas County Youth Initiative. Since then, it has grown through strong partnerships with schools, agencies and community organizations. Today, Douglas County’s WrapAround Program remains committed to its founding values: Inclusivity, Respect, Compassion, Real Solutions, Unconditional Care, Cost-Savings and Success.

Make a Referral

To refer a family to the WrapAround Program, please complete the form below thoroughly—it helps us connect with the family quickly and effectively. Please note that referred children must be between ages 5–21.

For questions about the WrapAround Program:

  • Referred by:

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY

  • Family Referral Information

  • Children living in the home

  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • If none please type NONE
  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • If none please type NONE
  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • If none please type NONE
  • MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • If none please type NONE

  • General Information

  • Please describe any safety concerns in detail.
  • Please describe any known current or pending legal proceedings.