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How To Apply For Mental Health Help For Your Children

Child Advocates helps youth and families explore eligibility for state-funded home and community-based mental health services.

In recent years, the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) chose Child Advocates as its first, single Statewide Access Site for DMHA’s High Fidelity Wraparound program, called Child Mental Health Wraparound (CMHW). The program offers Medicaid-funded support and services to Hoosier children and youth who face serious mental health or behavioral challenges.

As the Statewide Access Site, Child Advocates is not a direct service provider for wraparound services. Our family liaisons provide conflict-free assessment and application to wraparound services for families in all 92 counties in the state of Indiana. Then we submit a family’s application for the Child Mental Health Wraparound services to DMHA.

Once the application is submitted, DMHA reviews the application for eligibility determination (approval or denial). If approved, families will then begin services with a certified wraparound organization of their choosing in their county. If denied, Child Advocates will support families with connection to other mental health services and resources in their area. Child Advocates does not make decisions about your application for CMHW services.

And for the first time, families can call just one phone number—211—and ask to be connected to the Child Mental Health Wraparound program to get the process started.

Child Mental Health Wraparound Program

Content and information are provided directly by the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction. Child Mental Health Wraparound is an Indiana Medicaid Program. 

The CMHW program is currently targeted to address the needs of youth with complex needs and/or in danger of out-of-home placement. The program utilizes a wraparound approach designed to keep children in their communities, producing better outcomes at a lower cost.

What is High Fidelity Wraparound?

High Fidelity Wraparound is an evidence-based process that provides a comprehensive, holistic, youth and family-driven way of responding when children or youth experience serious mental health or behavioral challenges.

It involves a committed team comprised of family, friends, community and professional supports to collaboratively develop an individualized plan of care. The team creates a plan of care that includes resources, talents and strengths to address the underlying needs of youth.

Is my child eligible for Child Mental Health Wraparound services?

The eligibility requirements to receive CMHW services are:

  • Child must be 6-17 years of age
  • Child must live in the community
  • Child must be eligible for Indiana Medicaid
  • Child must have two qualifying mental health diagnoses
    • An assessment is required to determine eligibility by our knowledgeable family liaisons

How do I register for CMHW services?

To find out more information about applying for the CMHW services, contact 211

To gather more information about Child Advocates’ role as the Statewide Access Site for CMHW, email our Program Director Sophie Foster at sophie@childadvocates.net

Or you may reach out directly to the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) at DMHAyouthservices@fssa.in.gov

To visit Indiana’s Child Mental Health Wraparound Portal, click the link below

Indiana's Child Mental Health Wraparound Portal