Kentucky IMPACT was created as a statewide service coordination model in 1990. It was based on the work of a pilot program (Bluegrass IMPACT) and implemented in accordance with System of Care values and principles.
IMPACT was established as a coordinated, interagency approach to service delivery for children/youth with serious emotional disabilities (SED) and their families. The model provided services not traditionally available, such as mentoring, school-based services, and intensive in-home therapy, as well as flexible funding for informal supports such as community activities, family support, and after-school and summer activities.
The overall goal of Kentucky IMPACT was to prevent children/youth with SED from being placed outside of their homes and to provide support and assistance to those who were transitioning home from such residential placements. Kentucky IMPACT has embraced the Wraparound process since its inception. In fact, the Kentucky IMPACT program was one of the first statewide Wraparound initiatives in the country.
Historically, Targeted Case Management (TCM), delivered in accordance with the values of Wraparound, has been the key component of Kentucky IMPACT by which Wraparound for children and youth has been implemented. Since the inception of Kentucky IMPACT, science related to Wraparound implementation has progressed dramatically.
Until recently, Kentucky has not had the resources to keep up with the progress. Coupled with staff turnover and model drift, this has resulted in Wraparound not being delivered with high fidelity across the state. With support from the Kentucky Initiative for Collaborative Change (KICC) grant via the Children's Branch of DBHDID, and the newly established Institute for Excellence in Behavioral Health (the Institute) this is changing.
Staff of KICC, the Children's Branch, and the Institute members are currently working with the National Wraparound Implementation Center (see Related Links) to support the addition of High Fidelity Wraparound (HFW) to the existing Kentucky IMPACT program within the Community Mental Health Centers (CMHCs).
The Kentucky IMPACT program will maintain responsibility for the delivery and oversight of TCM services for children/youth with serious emotional disabilities. Beginning in January 2016, HFW will be added to Kentucky IMPACT and will be available to a limited number of children, youth, and their families who meet objective eligibility criteria.
CMHCs have identified child/youth targeted case managers and their supervisors who will attend initial training in the facilitation and supervision of HFW. Following the initial training, these facilitators and supervisors will participate in an HFW Learning Collaborative that will include ongoing technical assistance, coaching, and fidelity monitoring.
Trained HFW facilitators will work with fewer children/youth than traditional targeted case managers; however, the children/youth who receive HFW will have more complex needs and require more coordination among formal and informal services and supports. The lower caseload will allow the HFW facilitators to spend more time with each family, supporting them in meeting their goals and becoming connected with community resources that will help them thrive. Children/youth will be determined eligible to receive HFW via a multi-step process.
Child/youth and family functioning will be assessed across a variety of life domains on a regular basis to assist in determining the effectiveness of HFW in reducing behavioral health concerns and increasing connections within the community. Finally, a cost study will be conducted to determine the fiscal and human resources necessary to support HFW implementation.