Implementing holistic crisis planning principles
Holistic crisis planning (HCP) is less about introducing a new tool and more about implementing a set of principles about meaningfully engaging children, youth and their families in the crisis planning process. HCP draws on the 10 principles of the wraparound process outlined by the National Wraparound Initiative.
1. Family voice and choice: The perspectives of caregivers, children and youth are elicited and prioritized during all phases of crisis planning. The team strives to provide options and choices so that the plan reflects caregivers' values and preferences.
2. Team-based: The team includes individuals agreed upon by the family and who are committed to the family through informal, formal and community support and service relationships.
3. Use of natural supports: The team seeks out and encourages the full participation of team members drawn from family members' networks of interpersonal and community relationships. The plan reflects activities and interventions that draw on sources of natural support.
4. Collaboration: Team members work co-operatively and share responsibility for developing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating a wraparound plan. The plan reflects a blending of team members' perspectives, mandates and resources. The plan guides and co-ordinates each team member's work toward meeting the team's goals.
5. Community-based: The team implements service and support strategies that take place in the most inclusive, most responsive, most accessible and least restrictive settings possible. The strategies safely promote child and family integration into home and community life.
6. Culturally competent: The process respects and builds on the values, preferences, beliefs, culture and identity of the client, family and community.
7. Individualized: The team develops and implements a customized set of strategies, supports and services in order to achieve the goals set out in the plan.
8. Strengths-based: The wraparound process and plan identify, build on and enhance the capabilities, knowledge, skills and assets of the client, family, community and other team members.
9. Unconditional: A wraparound team does not give up on, blame or reject clients or their families. When faced with challenges, the team continues to work toward meeting the needs of the client and family. The team continues to strive toward achieving the goals in the wraparound plan until it agrees that a formal wraparound process is no longer necessary.
10. Outcome-based: The team ties the goals and strategies of the wraparound plan to observable or measurable indicators of success, monitors progress and revises the plan accordingly.
The HCP tools/approach was originally developed by Kappy Madenwald of Madenwald Consulting, LLC, in Columbus, Ohio, for the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services. The Peel Service Collaborative has updated and adapted this approach for the local Canadian context.