Pathways to Collaboration: Exploring Values and Collaborative Practice Between Child Welfare and Substance Abuse Treatment Fields

• NCJ Number: 217303
• Journal: Child Maltreatment Volume: 12 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2007 Pages: 31-42
• Author(s): Laurie Drabble
• Date Published: February 2007
• Length: 12 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: California Social Work Education Ctr
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study identified similarities and differences in values and perceived capacity for collaboration between substance-abuse and child-welfare fields based on survey data from approximately 350 respondents in 12 California counties.

Abstract

There was nearly unanimous agreement among respondents about the importance of addressing both substance-abuse and child-welfare issues as a starting point for collaborative efforts. Child welfare professionals were significantly more likely to agree that confidentiality of client records posed a significant barrier to cooperation between systems. This suggests the need to develop better mechanisms for communication and collaboration across the two fields in case planning. There was agreement between the two professions about the importance of targeting children from substance-abusing families in the provision of child welfare services. Respondents from the substance-abuse treatment field were more likely to define chemical dependency as a disease and to believe that parents who used, abused, or depended on drugs could not be effective parents. This suggests the importance of developing a common body of knowledge about the nature of substance abuse and criteria for effective parenting. Child-welfare respondents were more likely to value a greater emphasis on community involvement in planning. This has implications for who will be involved in collaborative networks and activities. Respondents from counties with a strong history of collaboration were more likely to report institutionalized collaborative practices in several areas, including the use of multidisciplinary teams for case planning, the use of multiyear budgeting, and planning for integrated services. The 350 respondents were selected from a sample of managers, supervisors, and line staff who worked with families affected by substance abuse and were involved in the child welfare system. Data were obtained between January and August 2004, using two surveys: the Collaborative Values Inventory and Collaborative Capacity Instrument. 4 tables and 32 references