Poster 44 - Healthy Families, Stronger Systems: Advancing Wraparound Through Family Engagement

Monday, April 27, 2026

1:15 PM - 1:45 PM MDT

Location: Screen 16, Exhibit Hall Poster Pavilion

Engaging families in youth mental health care has been a persistent challenge for non-profit agencies. This poster describes how Bergen’s Promise, a county-wide Care Management Organization in New Jersey, addressed family disengagement by implementing the evidence-based Family Systems Trauma (FST) model in partnership with the Family Trauma Institute. By shifting the focus from the individual child to the entire family system, Bergen’s Promise achieved early success, including a 30% reduction in self-reported family stress within three months. The presentation will highlight workforce training, provider network development, early lessons learned, and strategies for sustaining this approach.

Learning Objectives:

Summarize the key principles of the Family Systems Trauma model.
Identify at least two positive outcomes resulting from the integration of a family systems approach into wraparound care.
Formulate a plan for building workforce capacity and ensuring the sustainability of a family systems model, incorporating lessons learned from the integration process.

Poster Presenter(s)

CW

Crystal Wytenus, MA, MPA, LPC, LCADC, NCC, ACS

Director of Care Management
Bergen's Promise, Inc.
Hackensack, New Jersey

Disclosure information not submitted.
Shelisa Foster, MA, LPC, NCC

Chief Operating Officer
Bergen's Promise, Inc.
Hackensack, New Jersey

Disclosure information not submitted.