Advancing Collaborative Practice Between Substance Abuse Treatment and Child Welfare Fields: What Helps and Hinders the Process?

Abstract

This study explores factors that facilitate and impede the process of developing successful collaboration between child welfare, substance abuse treatment, and dependency courts based on in-depth qualitative interviews with professionals (N = 49) from five California counties. Findings describe specific preconditions, organizational changes, and operational factors in the development of successful collaboration. Study participants also described factors that hindered collaborative practice, such as problems in cross-systems communication and fragmentation of services, as well as strategies that were employed to address or minimize these problems. Findings underscore the value of "lessons learned" from communities that have established successful collaborative programs, policies, and practices.

We're All in This Together: Moving Toward an Interdisciplinary Model of Practice Between Child Protection and Substance Abuse Treatment Professionals

“…Professionals' negative perceptions of collaboration have been identified as a significant barrier that has impeded interagency collaboration (Drabble, 2010). These negative perceptions often stemmed from concerns that collaboration would overburden systems that already lacked the necessary resources and workforce to handle current demands (Drabble, 2007).…”

“…Leaders were not only in positions of power but were advocates who advanced a shared vision of collaborative practice (Drabble & Poole, 2011). Individuals and organizations assuming leadership positions pushed for ''buy-in'' at all levels, had a commitment to the continued advancement of collaboration, and displayed an ability to think outside the box by looking for creative solutions to challenges that arose (Drabble, 2010;Drabble & Poole, 2011).…”

“…Finally, supportive and effective leadership has been crucial to the development and maintenance of interagency collaboration (Drabble, 2010(Drabble, , 2011Foster-Fishman et al, 2001). Leaders were not only in positions of power but were advocates who advanced a shared vision of collaborative practice (Drabble & Poole, 2011).…”

“…Communication has been a pervasive theme across systems and professionals. Successful interagency collaborations have included specific agreements and protocols regarding communication, detailing the types of information that would be shared, and establishing guidelines about the limitations of communication (Drabble, 2010;Drabble & Poole, 2011).…”

Advancing Trauma-Informed Systems Change in a Family Drug Treatment Court Context

“…There is also considerable agreement about the need for addiction treatment, child welfare, and dependency court systems to work collaboratively (Carlson, 2006;Drabble, 2011;Green, Rockhill & Burrus, 2008;Marsh, Smith, & Bruni, 2010; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 1999;Young, Boles & Otero, 2007). Collaborative models of practice, such as Family Drug Treatment Courts, appear to be promising in terms of positive outcomes for both parental treatment participation and parent-child reunification (Boles, Young, Moore & DiPirro, 2007;Carlson, 2006;Green, Furrer, Worcel, Burrus, & Finigan, 2007;Osterling & Austin, 2008;Ryan, Marsh, Testa, & Louderman, 2006;Worcel, Furrer, Green, Burrus, & Finigan, 2008).…”