Brief Description

WRAP (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) is a peer-supported 

recovery and self-management approach developed by people 

who were themselves recovering from serious mental 

illnesses. Initially designed to help people gain control of their 

mental health challenges and move toward recovery, the 

model has since been applied with success to people 

experiencing troubling thoughts or behaviors in any aspect of 

their lives. Examples include substance use problems, trauma, 

difficult family dynamics, and cognitive impairments. The 

approach also benefits caregivers of people with long-term 

support needs. The model is currently used by behavioral 

health programs in all 50 states and in several countries 

outside the US. Some states include WRAP training in their 

certification requirements for recovery coaches or peer support 

specialists. Copeland Center for Wellness and Recovery has 

developed a certification program for co-facilitators 

worldwide to promote fidelity to the evidence-based peergroup process.

Is It a Good Fit for My Agency?

WRAP can be incorporated into any community-based 

program that employs or plans to employ a peer workforce. 

To implement the approach with fidelity, two trained cofacilitators are required for each peer support group. Training 

to become a facilitator consists of an introductory online 

seminar (Seminar I) given over 5 days (2.5-hour daily

sessions) followed by a five-day in-person immersive course

(Seminar II). Several of these courses are scheduled during the 

year in different localities. Alternatively, agencies can engage 

certified WRAP facilitators—called Advanced Facilitators— 

to train their staff (facilitators certified to provide trainings are 

listed in this directory). An alternative to training agency staff 

to become WRAP facilitators is to engage certified cofacilitators to run peer groups. Certified co-facilitators are

listed in this directory. Developing the plan typically takes

8-12 weeks. Some sites hold optional ongoing group meetings 

for maintenance and continued peer support.

Cultural Adaptability Because the WRAP process is entirely self-directed, the 

resulting plan aligns with the participant’s cultural 

background, personal situation, and available resources. 

Facilitator training emphasizes skills for empowering 

participants to construct plans based on their own preferences. 

The training manuals are available in Spanish. These features 

make the approach adaptable to specific cultural contexts, as 

witnessed by its use around the world and among racially and 

ethnically diverse groups within the United States.

How Does It Work?

The facilitator training includes two required sessions. The 

first session is an online seminar that teaches the principles of 

WRAP and guides the trainees through the process of 

developing their own plans. To attend the second session, 

trainees must complete the first session or the equivalent 

correspondence course. The second session is an in-person 

5-day facilitator training course that qualifies participants to 

lead WRAP groups. Implementation starts with an 

introductory session during which the group receives peerdelivered information about the WRAP process. After the 

introduction, there are typically 8-12 weekly (or bi-weekly) 

peer-led plan development sessions lasting about two hours 

each. WRAP groups typically have 10-15 participants. WRAP 

is completely voluntary; requiring anyone to attend sessions

would be a departure from fidelity to the evidence-based 

model. 

Where to Find Program Materials

Instructional books and training manuals are available in 

English and Spanish at the WRAP bookstore. A WRAP app is 

available for iOS and Android systems.

How to Learn More

WRAP materials are distributed by Advocates for Human 

Potential in collaboration with the Copeland Center. These 

organizations’ websites provide detailed information about the 

model. A summary of the history, ethics, and basic practice of 

WRAP is available in booklet format. 

 WRAP®: 

Wellness Recovery Action Plan

August 2021
Program Costs

Tuition and materials for one person to qualify as a WRAP 

facilitator currently cost $1,719, itemized as follows:

 Seminar I: $419 (Tuition: $399; Textbook: $20)

 Correspondence course as an alternative to Seminar I: 

$345 (Tuition: $325; Textbook: $20)

 Facilitator Training: $1,300

If no facilitator training course is available nearby, prospective 

trainees should add the costs of travel and a five-day stay to 

the costs listed above.

Implementation costs will vary by agency. Typical costs may 

include: 

 Weekly meeting space for 12 weeks with capacity for 

15 people

 Staff salaries for two co-facilitators if agency staff 

were trained as facilitators

 Fees for two co-facilitators if external facilitators are 

hired

Potential Funding Sources

Community programs that adopted WRAP funded the 

program through a variety of sources, including:

 Community fundraiser events

 Financial assistance from State Departments of 

Health, or Offices of Consumer Affairs 

 Cost-sharing through partnership with local social 

clubs, adult daycare centers, or drop-in centers 

providing community-based supports

 Faith-based organizations, such as the local chapter 

of the National Catholic Partnership on Disability

 Local branch of the National Alliance for the 

Mentally Ill

Value of the Program

Potential funders typically ask how the program will add value 

to the community and help advance individual health and 

well-being and population health, facilitate treatment and 

recovery efforts, and/or reduce overall health costs. 

In a randomized control study of 519 adults with mental 

illness receiving treatment in six Ohio communities: 

 Disease severity as measured by the Brief Symptom 

Inventory (BSI) decreased by 45%. 

 The number of symptoms assessed as pathological by 

the BSI decreased by 41%. 

 Belief in one’s ability to develop goal-oriented 

strategies and to initiate and sustain actions, as 

measured by the Hope Scale, increased by 5%. 

Expected Impact on Health System 

Performance and Healthcare Costs

 Research1 has shown that peer support 

significantly reduces total hospital days and 

readmission rates among adults discharged from 

psychiatric treatment. 

 WRAP, shown to be an effective peer support 

model for people with behavioral health 

challenges, should ultimately decrease 

readmission to treatment and total hospital days. 

1 Sledge, W.H. et al. (2011). Effectiveness of peer support in 

reducing readmissions of persons with multiple psychiatric 

hospitalizations. Psychiatric Services, 62(5), 541-544.

Adopting and Financing WRAP in Community Settings