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Collaboration With Health Services
When health and child welfare services agencies collaborate, they contribute to the development of a system of care that provides for the multiple needs of the children, youth, and family they serve. This section, which includes State and local examples, describes multidisciplinary approaches to interagency collaborations designed to improve services to children and their families.
CWLA Standards of Excellence for Health Care Services for Children in Out-of-Home Care
Child Welfare League of America (2007)
Presents principles and practices for providing quality health-care services to children in out-of-home care.
Improving Outcomes for Children in Child Welfare: A Medicaid Managed Care Toolkit (PDF - 1649 KB)
Center for Healthcare Strategies (2012)
Helps child welfare agencies and other child-serving stakeholders develop an approach to care and cross-system collaboration by focusing on access to physical and behavioral health care services, coordination of care, and the appropriate use and monitoring of psychotropic medications.
Interdisciplinary Working in Child Welfare
Stevenson (Ed.)
Child and Family Social Work, 10, 2005
View Abstract
Presents five articles that discuss models of practice and collaborations between multidisciplinary teams including health services, mental health services, and child protection.
The Proof of the Pudding: What Difference Does Multi-Agency Working Make to Families With Disabled Children With Complex Health Care Needs
Abbott, Watson, & Townsley
Child and Family Social Work, 10, 2005
View Abstract
Discusses findings from a 3-year research project that looked at both the process and impact of multiagency working on families with a disabled child with complex health-care needs.
The Collaboration Primer: Proven Strategies, Considerations, and Tools to Get You Started (PDF - 290 KB)
Torres & Margolin (2003)
Reviews considerations for forming and participating in interagency collaborations and presents models for collaboration between community providers and agencies. A checklist is included.
Contracting for Coordination of Behavioral Health Services in Privatized Child Welfare and Medicaid Managed Care (PDF - 407 KB)
George Washington University Center for Health Services Research and Policy (2003)
Analyzes the content of Medicaid managed care and privatized child welfare contracts that specify requirements for care coordination and interagency collaboration. Interviews with key stakeholders explore how these paper requirements were playing out in practice.
State and local examples
Colorado Collaborative Partnership Design Team Tool Kit
Colorado Collaborative Partnership (2004)
Promotes the capacity of health-care and human services systems to collaborate across organizations. The tool kit includes an ecomapping exercise, family-centered practice continuum, force field analysis worksheet, action plan worksheet, and the Wilder Collaboration Factors Inventory.
Meeting the Health Care Needs of Children in the Foster Care System: Partnership for Health (PDF - 131 KB)
Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development (2004)
Describes the collaboration efforts of the Department of Human Services and the Community Health Center in El Paso County, CO, to provide comprehensive medical and dental services to all foster children and their birth families, with referrals for mental health and special concerns.