Indeed, despite the success of kids like Basil, no one really knows how well the intensive, expensive wraparound approach works. And some Philadelphia principals and administrators still have concerns about the program. For one thing, it overlaps what the Philly schools already offer. Flora Turner, the school district's administrator for services to students with disabilities, said Community Behavioral Health and the district are talking about how to cut down on redundancies. But another problem, Turner noted, is that the 1,200 wraparound workers in district schools are not evenly distributed.
Some classes have a crowd of wraparounds, which is a distraction to other kids.
We end up with more staff than we need. And often, children don't need that type of service every day. Services need to be more accurately tailored to each child's needs, as some children may need supervision all day while others may need it only at lunch or at dismissal time, she said. Nationally, early studies in nine states have yielded consistently positive findings, including reduced cost of care and student improvement in social, school and community functioning, according to the Center for Mental Health Services. While Basil sits in the front row, Austin often stays in the back, so as not to smother him.