Who We Are
We brought kids home!
Founded in 1995, Wings for Children and Families (Wings) was one of 22 original federal grant sites across the nation sponsored by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services. Before the grant was awarded in Maine, there were very few community supports or funding options for children with disabilities, so families were often forced to send their children into foster homes and residential treatment centers, frequently in other states, so their child could get services. Wings became part of the movement toward discovering better ways to help support children in their own homes and communities.
Parents inspired the creation of Wings.
Maine parents of children in need of services were involved at all levels of planning, development and implementation of the grant and Wings. Wings has a long history of hiring parents of children with special needs and/or disabilities. As referral specialists, outreach coordinators, educators, direct support providers to families, and on our Board of Directors, parents have been and continue to bring the parent perspective to Wings and our partners, which enhance our services in many ways.
We do one thing and do it awesomely!
The State of Maine Children’s Services, with the support of Maine parents of children with special needs, community providers, and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services, created Wings for Children and Families (Wings) as an agency that specializes and provides only case management services. By focusing on case management and similar services only, we reduce conflict of interest issues, are the best at what we do, and we are able to provide families with the best choice of services and supports in their community.
Cutting Edge Methods
Wings’ care coordinators (also known as case managers) are specially trained in the Wraparound planning process and Sanctuary trauma-informed methods.
Click here to read more about Wraparound.
Click here to read more about Sanctuary.
It’s about more than just us.
Wings has always been sincere about being visionaries that help improve the services and supports in our communities. We care about the future – and we are always the first in line when it comes to working with other agencies and providers to make things better for families. When we see a barrier to a service or support, we reach out to that agency, or that policymaker, and try to make a difference. Indeed, Wings has been instrumental in State level policies and procedures being changed for the better on behalf of the people we serve. Our Mission specifically promotes us as a “change agent” and we take that seriously.
Our Mission
- Wings is a non-profit corporation partnering with parents and providers to deliver quality case management services using the Wraparound planning process
- Training to other system providers to improve quality of care
- Community presence as a change agent
Our Vision
As we envision the future for Wings, we see ourselves tirelessly maintaining our commitment to providing the highest level of wraparound services for children and families in Maine.
Our commitment to excellence in the work we do will result in state recognition and a reputation in Maine as the leading agency for case management for all children with behavioral health disorders, developmental disabilities, and/or chronic medical conditions. This reputation, the relationships we’ve built at all levels, and our infrastructure will position us very well as managed care and other policy and funding changes come our way.
Our strengths in delivering wraparound services to our current clients will give us the confidence to expand our work to include enhanced services for a larger number of clients. We will continually assess the needs of our clients and our communities, and we will build upon our strengths as we respond to their needs.
Our success as an agency will continue to be dependent upon the skills and dedication of our staff and volunteers, and we will implement strategies that make Wings the “employer of choice” in the social service community and our board of directors a model for high performing non-profit boards. All this will result in an enhanced public perception of Wings and allow us to build a base of fundraising and other support to help us further our work on behalf of our clients and their communities.
Our Values
When implementing the Wraparound process in our work with children and families, the following values guide our practice:
- Family Drives the Process
- Culturally Competent Planning
- Community based
- Strengths based
- Driven by needs
- Persistance
- Child and family teaming
- Safety for all