From the Director - Embracing Change: A New Chapter for Wraparound in California

Life moves fast, and it’s not always easy to keep up. As Forrest Gump’s mama said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.”

The theme of this Wraparound Connections newsletter is change, and inside you’ll find stories about change in all its forms: uplifting stories, reminders to breathe and strategies for helping others navigate transition.

We also have exciting news about change happening here at UC Davis. The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) has selected the Resource Center for Family-Focused Practice (RCFFP) to launch the Center of Excellence for High Fidelity Wraparound (COE HFW) under BH-CONNECT. 

We are both thrilled and humbled by this opportunity. Our ongoing work with the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) will continue and form part of the COE’s offerings. California High Fidelity Wraparound remains one model in California—serving vulnerable children and families with fidelity, consistency, and compassion.

There’s tremendous momentum for High Fidelity Wraparound right now, and we recognize it can feel like everything is happening all at once. The Wraparound County Plan Approval and Provider Certification processes are well underway, and we’re inspired by your continued dedication to meeting the HFW Standards.

To connect the BH-CONNECT dots, here’s a brief overview. BH-CONNECT is DHCS’s major initiative to strengthen behavioral health services for Medi-Cal beneficiaries under 21. It expands access for children and youth with complex needs while ensuring they receive evidence-based practices. This effort lays the groundwork for a more robust, coordinated, and family-centered system of care.

Rolling out in phases through 2026, BH-CONNECT will support eight evidence-based practices, each implemented with fidelity. (Deep breath—fidelity to the model won’t be required until 2029.) To make this transformation successful, DHCS is creating a network of Centers of Excellence—each providing statewide implementation support for each evidence-based practice.

The COE for High Fidelity Wraparound will focus on three main goals:

• Expand eligibility for HFW to all youth under 21 who need intensive care coordination and family-centered support, regardless of child welfare or probation involvement
• Simplify billing and payment through a bundled rate model launching in July 2026
• Set statewide fidelity and practice standards

Many of you have already read the DHCS High Fidelity Wraparound Concept Letter released this summer. While we await finalized guidance—especially around the bundled rate—we’re officially in start-up mode and building capacity.

We promise to share information as soon as it becomes available. As always, our goal is open, transparent communication, and we welcome your feedback. We’re in this together, and we are honored to serve as your partner as we move forward, translating new policies into practice while keeping youth and families at the center.

For more information about the BH-CONNECT Centers of Excellence, visit bhcoe.dhcs.ca.gov.

We hope you enjoy the Fall 2025 issue of Wraparound Connections as we embrace the changes ahead…together.