Lincoln Child Center's Project Permanence is a wraparound program focusing on supporting permanently planned foster youth in their transition out of group home or other temporary placements, into stable family homes with caregivers committed to a life-long permanent relationship.

In addition to supporting transitioning youth, Project Permanence also supports foster youth who are at risk of losing their permanent placement.

In both situations, Project Permanence works collaboratively with youth and their families to address barriers and enhance strengths as they relate to the ability of a youth to stabilize within his or her placement. Utilizing a team-approach, Project Permanence providers support youth and their families in designating and successfully linking with locally-based community resources that serve to stabilize the placement. Project Permanence providers also provide short-term support directly to the youth and family, with the intention of improving the youth's functioning in his or her home, school, and community.

Project Permanence is a 24-hour, 7-day a week program.

Because services are driven by client needs, Project Permanence staff conduct thorough and regular research to locate the necessary services for the classroom, home, and general community, depending on the specific needs for the youth and family. Youth often have family out of the area and services are delivered or linked to accommodate such situations.

Project Permanence Staff are available to visit client, caregivers, and additional collatoral supports on a weekly basis.  Project Permanence Staff also meet with the family and their designated support system for a monthly Family Team Meeting.

The principles of wraparound:

I. Wraparound must be based in the community.

II. Services and supporters must be individualized, built on strengths, and meet the needs of children and families across life domains.

The Nine Life Domains:

• Physical needs/Living situation

• Family

• Safety

• Socialization

• Cultural/Spiritual

• Emotional/Psychological

• Health

• Educational/Vocational

• Legal

III. The process must be culturally competent, building on the unique values, preferences, and strengths of children and families, and their communities.

IV. Families must be full and active partners in every level of the wraparound process.

V. The wraparound approach must be a team-driven process involving the family, child, natural supports, agencies, and community services working together to develop, implement, and evaluate the individualized services plan.

VI. Wraparound child and family teams will use flexible approaches and access flexible funding from the Department of Children and Family Services as available.

VII. Wraparound plans must include a balance of formal services and informal community and family resources.

VIII. An unconditional commitment to serve children and families is essential.

IX. The plan should be developed and implemented based on interagency, community-based collaborative process.

X. Outcomes must be determined and measured for the system, for the program and for the individual child and family.

Working within the foster care system, the services provided are meant to "wrap," or surround a child and family with professional, family and community-based support resources to smoothly transition a foster care child into their new permanent home.

Terms of Services:

Project Permanence is designed to be short-term (6-12 months) and individualized to each family's needs.