Author: Becky

Innovations Institute Launches New Digital Home for the National Wraparound Implementation Center

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HARTFORD, CT – Innovations Institute at the University of Connecticut School of Social Work has launched a redesigned website for the National Wraparound Implementation Center (NWIC), creating a centralized online resource for states, communities, and provider organizations implementing and sustaining high-quality Wraparound intensive care coordination.

The launch comes as children’s behavioral health systems nationwide continue to face rising demand and persistent resource pressures. In response, the new NWIC website provides a clearer, more accessible entry point to the center’s three-pillar approach: Strategic Implementation, Workforce Development, and Accountability.

“We are dedicated to transforming services for children, youth, and young adults with complex needs,” said Kim Estep, Director for Systems Design and Implementation Strategies at Innovations Institute. “This website gives our partners easier access to the tools, guidance, and tailored support they need to strengthen systems and sustain high-quality Wraparound over time.”

New Features and Resources
The new site features improved navigation and detailed information about NWIC’s core supports, including:

  • Accountability & Quality Assurance: Information on NWIC’s web-based fidelity and implementation tracking systems that support monitoring, improvement, and sustained quality.
  • Workforce Development: A roadmap for training and coaching to help build the skills, supervision, and support structures needed for strong implementation.
  • InnovatePractice: Direct access to NWIC’s virtual coaching platform, designed to help teams strengthen practice in an interactive and supportive environment.

A Focus on Improved Outcomes
NWIC supports states, communities and organizations in improving outcomes for children, youth, young adults, and families through data-informed accountability, model-adherent practice, and research-informed implementation strategies. The new website showcases how these approaches are being put into practice to make high-quality care coordination more available and sustainable in community settings.

For more information on the National Wraparound Implementation Center and to explore the new site, visit wraparound.socialwork.uconn.edu.

Innovations Institute Awarded Five-Year SAMHSA Grant to Lead National Training & Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth & Family Mental Health

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Innovations Institute, at the UConn School of Social Work, and its national family organization partner, the Family-Run Executive Director Leadership Association (FREDLA), recently received a five-year grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to lead the National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Child, Youth, and Family Mental Health (NTTAC). This award marks the second time Innovations Institute has been chosen to lead this vital national resource, following its previous leadership from 2015 to 2020.

The NTTAC serves as the primary engine for training and technical assistance for the implementation of the System of Care approach nationwide designed to better address the prevalence of children’s mental health conditions in the US and the barriers to accessing high quality care. Through this award, Innovations Institute, FREDLA, and their partners and consultants will support SAMHSA’s Children’s Mental Health Initiative and Statewide Family Network grantees, along with states, territories, Tribes, and family- and youth-run organizations, to deliver accessible, comprehensive, effective mental health services. With nearly 20% of youth in the US facing mental, developmental, or behavioral challenges, and fewer than one in five accessing the services they need, the importance of the work of this Center has never been greater.

“We are honored to be selected by SAMHSA, together with FREDLA, to lead the NTTAC once again,” said Michelle Zabel, Executive Director of Innovations Institute. “Having previously led this center, we understand the profound responsibility of this work. We are thrilled to return to this role, bringing both our historical expertise and new advancements to ensure that children, youth, and young adults—and their families—have access to effective, trauma-responsive, and community-based support.”

An evaluation of Innovations Institute’s previous NTTAC demonstrated the effectiveness of its tailored support in increasing capacity to better meet the behavioral health needs of children and youth within states, jurisdictions, territories, and Tribes across the nation. For the current NTTAC, Innovations and FREDLA will lead a powerhouse multi-disciplinary partnership of 11 national organizations to implement this mission:

Together, this partnership, and a vast array of consultants, provides unparalleled expertise in policy, clinical practice, and family and youth leadership, ensuring a 365-degree approach to transforming mental health systems across the country. The new NTTAC logo serves as a constant reminder that no single entity can solve the youth mental health crisis alone. By utilizing interlocking geometric shapes, the NTTAC brand identity communicates stability, partnership, and the intentional design of a world-class system of care.

Innovations Institute, at the UConn School of Social Work, is a national leader in the implementation of evidence-based practices and systems of care for children, youth, young adults, and their families. By bridging the gap between research, policy, and practice, Innovations provides the specialized expertise necessary to build effective and sustainable public systems. They partner with federal, state, and local entities to drive system transformation that is family-driven, youth-guided, and trauma-responsive.

FREDLA is the national association of family-run organizations dedicated solely to children, youth, and young adults with mental health, substance use, and multi-system challenges, their families, and the agencies serving them. They provide support, consultation, and training within five primary areas: Strategic Solutions, Research and Outcomes, Family-Run Organizations, Workforce Readiness, and Training and Resources. Their network of family-run organizations informs their work, collaborations, research, and advocacy at the local, state, and national levels.

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