262597 Do you see what I see: Exploring beliefs and perceptions in inter-agency collaboration between child welfare, alcohol and other drugs, and court organizations

Monday, October 29, 2012

Amy He, LCSW , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Dorian E. Traube, PhD , School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
  
Children involved in child welfare (CW) systems due to parental substance abuse have lengthier stays in out-of-home placement and lower rates of reunification. Integrated services between CW, alcohol and other drugs (AOD), and court organizations have been found to play important roles in helping parents to access substance abuse treatment, expediting the reunification process. However, emergent literature suggests that differing beliefs and perceptions (i.e. belief on the impact of substance use on parenting abilities) between CW, AOD, and court organizations may affect integrated service delivery to families.

The purpose of this study is to examine differences in perceptions of parental substance abuse between integrated service organizations (CW, AOD, and courts). Specifically, this study examines the relationship between organization types with a spectrum of value-based beliefs including: (a) perceptions of substance abuse as a disease that needs treatment; (b) substance abuse and parenting effectiveness; (c) substance abuse and reunification.

Secondary data was obtained from the National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare. Bivariate analysis and ordered logistic regression was used to analyze the probability of the outcome variables in relationship to organization types, controlling for age, gender, and staff position.

Preliminary results suggest that there are significant differences in perceptions of parental substance abuse between organization types. For example, AOD and court organizations (compared to child welfare organizations) were more likely to agree that parents who abuse AODs had the capacity to be effective parents. Implications for organizational practices and policies for integrated services are discussed.

Learning Areas:
Administration, management, leadership
Program planning
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Systems thinking models (conceptual and theoretical models), applications related to public health

Learning Objectives:
1.Identify differences in perceptions of parental substance abuse between child welfare, alcohol and other drugs, and court organizations. 2. Discuss implications for organizational practices and policies for existing and newly developing inter-agency collaboration.

Keywords: Child Abuse, Substance Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: As a second year PhD student, I have the skills and institutional support to conduct this study. My study is under the advisement of my faculty mentor, and is also in collaboration with the National Center for Substance Abuse and Child Welfare. I am interested in cross-systems collaboration between child welfare and alcohol and other drugs organizations, as well as in the implementation of evidence-based practices.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3386.0: Across the Drug Spectrum: From Research to Evaluation to Integration