The Outcomes-Based principle is one of the core commitments of High Fidelity Wraparound. It brings clarity and direction to each family’s plan by keeping the focus on the positive changes taking place.
So the first thing a Wraparound team might do if the family isn’t meeting a goal is to go back to the plan and ask “What progress is or isn’t being made and what can support that progress?”
This principle supports a family’s long-term success because it is aligned with the family’s own vision of what success looks like for them. Their vision of a better life shapes the goals, strategies, and measures of improvement.
What Is the Outcomes-Based Principle?
In High Fidelity Wraparound, being outcomes-based means:- Every decision is tied directly to a measurable change.
- Progress is monitored continuously.
- Data is used to improve the plan.
- The family defines what “success” looks like.
Guiding questions
- What is the specific need?
- What will change when the need is met?
- How will we know we’ve succeeded?
How the Outcomes-Based Principle is Applied
Outcomes-based planning encourages the team to design supports that reflect the family’s strengths and preferences. The team takes into account the family’s natural supports, their individualized needs, and approaches that align with the family’s values.
When outcomes are clearly defined and tracked over time, the family sees their progress, stays motivated, and the team stays aligned with the family’s needs.
Wraparound teams use systems including the SMART method and the Future Problem Solving method to define expected outcomes and the actions that support them.
A real world example
Here is how the process works in practice, using both the Future Problem Solving method and the SMART goal framework:
Example: Amanda's school attendance
Observed need
"Amanda wants to come home early from school every day."
Goal
For Amanda to stay at school for as many full days as possible.
Underlying problem (FPS method)
"Amanda needs to feel safe during transitions so she can stay at school all day."
SMART goal
"Amanda will stay at school all day four times next week."
The Outcomes-Based principle ensures that every action moves the youth and family toward their own definition of a better family life. It ensures the team builds on the family’s strengths while creating a roadmap that reflects what’s working and adapts as the family moves forward.
Sources
Michele, A. (n.d.). How to write an underlying problem (UP) checklist. Future Problem Solving Program International. resources.futureproblemsolving.org
Bruns, E. J., & Walker, J. S. (2008). Ten principles of the wraparound process. In E. J. Bruns & J. S. Walker (Eds.), The Resource Guide to Wraparound. National Wraparound Initiative. nwi.pdx.edu
National Wraparound Initiative. (n.d.). Wraparound basics or: What is wraparound? Portland State University. nwi.pdx.edu
Kentucky Department for Behavioral Health, Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities. (n.d.). High fidelity wraparound. dbhdid.ky.gov
Ohio Family and Children First. (2022). High fidelity wraparound — principles & process. fcf.ohio.gov
Positive Education Program (PEP). (2021). Ten principles of high-fidelity wraparound. pepcleve.org
North Carolina High Fidelity Wraparound Training Program. (n.d.). Phases & principles of high fidelity wraparound. nchfwtp.uncg.edu
