2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Online Program

332022
Examining Organizational Factors that Promote Interagency Collaboration Between Child Welfare and Drug and Alcohol Service Providers


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Amy He, LCSW, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
background: The co-occurrence of child maltreatment and caregiver substance use disorders (SUD) is a pervasive problem, with an estimated two thirds of child welfare cases involving SUDs.  Organizational practices that increase and support caregivers’ connection to SUD treatment services are crucial. Interagency collaboration between child welfare and drug and alcohol service (DAS) providers shows promise in improving connections to and delivery of SUD services. This study presents research on national trends in interagency collaboration between child welfare and DAS providers and examines organizational factors that promote engagement in collaborative activities. 

methods: This is a secondary analysis of the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-being (NSCAW II). Child welfare agency directors (N=87) answered Yes/No to engaging in the following collaborative activities: (1) memorandum of understanding for collaboration, (2) cross-training, (3) joint budgeting or resource allocation, and (4) co-location of staff.  Organizational factors included agency staffing and county characteristics.

results: Almost 13% of child welfare organizations did not engage in any collaborative activities, while 48% engaged in only one collaborative activity with DAS providers. Weighted negative binomial regression models found that engagement in collaborative activities increased for child welfare organizations that reported increased caseloads (IRR=1.60, 95% CI 1.05-2.46); engagement in collaborative activities decreased for child welfare organizations located in counties with higher child poverty rates (IRR=0.95, 95% CI .93-.98).

discussion: Our findings suggests that agency staffing and county characteristics should be taken into account when planning and implementing interagency collaboration between child welfare and DAS providers. Additional policy implications are discussed.

Learning Areas:

Administration, management, leadership
Other professions or practice related to public health
Public health or related organizational policy, standards, or other guidelines
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe national trends in interagency collaboration between child welfare and drug and alcohol services providers Identify organizational factors that facilitate or hinder engagement in collaborative activities

Keyword(s): Child Abuse, Drug Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have over 10 years of clinical experience working with families involved in the child welfare system. My primary research interest is in child welfare, interagency collaboration, and developing family-centered services. I have worked on several projects involving interagency collaboration between child welfare and specialized service systems (i.e. drugs and alcohol and mental health)and have also written several articles on this matter.
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.

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