Aspiranet’s Bakersfield WRAP program strengthens Kern County families with complex needs

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - April 3, 2014 - PRLog -- According to the latest Child Maltreatment (http://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/cb/cm2012.pdf) report by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, there were a nationally estimated 686,000 child victims of abuse and neglect, and an estimated 1,640 children who died from mistreatment in a single year.

Child Abuse Prevention Month in April is an opportunity to acknowledge programs that can prevent family situations from escalating abuse and educating the public on services that contribute to healthy families and reduce child abuse.Throughout this month, Aspiranet (http://aspiranet.org/), one of the largest nonprofit human services agencies in California, will highlight programs like Wraparound that strengthen families and can reduce the risk of abuse.  In Kern County, Wraparound (WRAP), (http://www.aspiranetwrap.org/) is making a difference in the lives of more than 60 Kern County families.

WRAP is an intensive home-based program that provides a myriad of support services for families with youth who have complex needs. The ultimate goal of WRAP is to “do whatever it takes” to keep youth with their families, relative caregivers or foster families by providing comprehensive and integrated support services to help families become a successful, self-sufficient unit. Services (http://www.aspiranetwrap.org/wraparound-services/) include: assessment, service planning, home visits, parent and youth advocacy and life skills training, in addition to Strengthening Families evidence-based parent child skills group, parent retreat, 24/7 crisis intervention, youth support groups utilizing the evidence-based Why Try curriculum, homework club and more.

“Our enhancement programs, such as Strengthening Families, really help to set families and youth up for success. We implement this evidence-based practice because of its high success rate for those we serve,” explains Sharon Salaiz, Aspiranet Wraparound division director.

Strengthening Families is an 8-week family skills training program found to significantly reduce problem behaviors, delinquency, and alcohol and drug abuse in youth and to improve social competence and school performance.

“We have a ‘no reject, no eject’ philosophy, meaning we never give up on our youth or turn them away,” Salaiz said. “We do whatever it takes to assist families so their youth can successfully remain at home deferring group home placement.”

For more information about the Aspiranet WRAP program in Bakersfield, visit www.aspiranetwrap.org.

About Aspiranet

Aspiranet, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charity, supports foster children, siblings, families and the community with 35 core programs offering specialized services throughout 45 locations within California. Aspiranet strengthens children, families and communities through seven core programs including: Foster Care, Adoption, Residential, Transition Age Youth, Behavioral Health, Wraparound and Family and Community Services.

Founded 38 years ago as a six-bed group home for young boys in Moss Beach, Calif., Aspiranet is one of the most diverse nonprofit social service agencies in the state. With a statewide network of innovative services, Aspiranet serves more than 10,000 families each year. For more information, please visit www.aspiranet.org.