University of California San Francisco

Overview

Overview of Program

The Wraparound Project works to reduce injury and criminal recidivism in the most vulnerable citizens of the city of San Francisco. It serves as a vital point of entry, providing mentorship and linking clients to essential risk-reduction resources.

Our philosophy is based on three critical components. First, we believe that the Public Health Model works for injury prevention, based on evidence that addressing root causes of violence can prevent future injury and incarceration. Second, health communication in this country is marred by cultural incompetence. Our Case Managers correct this flaw by ensuring that any service provided is culturally appropriate. Lastly, we believe that a major event like trauma provides a teachable moment, which is a period of self-reflection brought on by a tangible sense of mortality and vulnerability. This is the “golden window” in which the individual is more likely to change high-risk behaviors, precluding them from re-injury.

Violent injury is a societal disease. The nature of the environment affects risk factors and individuals exposed to these risk factors. To properly address the contributing environmental factors, it is important for attempts at violence prevention to extend into the greater community in which at-risk individuals reside. To achieve this, the Wraparound Project has developed a seamless link to its surrounding communities.