Sweetser News & Events

Sweetser Awarded $1.8 million in Grants

Posted on 04/06/2007 at 12:00 am

Maine Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Child and Family Services selects Sweetser as partner in High Fidelity Wraparound Initiative.

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services, recently awarded Sweetser $1.8 million in grant funds to establish High Fidelity Community Wraparound Initiatives in three areas of the state: northern York County, Sagadahoc County, and Knox/Waldo Counties.

Wraparound is a family-centered, community-oriented, strengths-based highly individualized planning process that relies on a balance of formal and informal supports to help children and families achieve important outcomes while they remain—whenever possible—in their homes and communities. Service planning is accomplished through “wrapping” individual services and natural supports around the child and family, based upon their individual needs. The target population for this Wraparound Initiative includes children and youth ages 5 – 18 with serious emotional or behavioral disturbances who are either in residential care or at high risk for such a placement.

In acknowledging the agency’s receipt of these grants, Sweetser President and CEO Carl Pendleton remarked, “We are proud to be selected by the State of Maine as an agency of choice in providing these comprehensive wraparound services to children and their families across Maine.”

Sweetser’s three contracts are designed to enhance the organization’s child and family case management services and will involve constant collaboration between the organization’s Child & Family Community Services, Residential Services and other community providers.

Founded in 1828, the agency is Maine’s most comprehensive behavioral healthcare organization dedicated to serving children, adults and families. Sweetser offers services that address emotional disturbances, mental illnesses, behavioral disorders and learning disabilities through an array of educational programs, preventive services, community-based support services and residential services. With more than 1,000 employees, Sweetser ranks among Maine’s top 25 employers.