Restructuring Schools through the Wraparound Approach: The LADSE Experience.

Summary The La Grange Area Department of Special Education's (LADSE) Wraparound Project (WRAP) is a five year school-based systems change initiative for students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) and their families. WRAP is focused on improving outcomes for these students and their families by converting the existing categorical special education and mental health services into a more integrated and flexible system (Eber, 1993). This systems change initiative culminated in the restructuring of special education programs into the LADSE EBD Network beginning with the 1994-95 school year. This network embodies the wraparound approach and integrates mental health, education and other family-focused services in a comprehensive school-based model. This article describes the progressive development of wraparound pilots and projects and the resulting restructured education service network which has been developed in the LADSE community. Evaluation data, which has been used to shape decision-making ...