Developing Collaborative Relationships

Professionals working in child welfare, substance use treatment, the court system, healthcare, and community organizations should collaborate to best serve families affected by substance use disorders. Building collaborative relationships across agencies takes time, but research shows that these relationships result in better outcomes for children and families. One of the early steps in developing collaborative relationships may include identifying and addressing any tension due to differences of opinion about the overall mission and agency priorities among partners. Having conversations and providing training on each agency’s processes and protocols can clarify misunderstandings and provide an opportunity to discuss potential improvements on behalf of families. Developing collaborative relationships may also involve securing cross-systems communication, developing information-sharing agreements, and committing to joint outcomes. These activities can build the foundation of trust and agreement on common goals among partners.

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  Policy and Practice Resources

  • Building Collaborative Capacity Series: How to Develop Cross-Systems Teams and Implement Collaborative Practice

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2021

    The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare (NCSACW) developed the Building Collaborative Capacity Series to provide states and communities with strategies to create cross-systems collaborative teams, communication protocols, and practice innovations. These strategies aim to improve screening, assessment, and engagement to best serve families affected by substance use disorders (SUDs) and child welfare service involvement.

    
    

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    • Module 1 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Developing the Structure of Collaborative Teams to Serve Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders

      Module 1 describes how to establish and facilitate the structure of a multi-system collaborative team and identify the roles and responsibilities of each partner.

      View Document Module 1 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Developing the Structure of Collaborative Teams to Serve Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders
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    • Module 2 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Addressing Values and Developing Shared Principles and Trust in Collaborative Teams

      Module 2 highlights how to identify the shared values and principles among participants of collaborative teams and to use those principles as building blocks for a collaborative effort to improve policy and practice for families affected by substance use disorders.

      View Document Module 2 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Addressing Values and Developing Shared Principles and Trust in Collaborative Teams
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    • Module 3 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Establishing Practice-Level Communication Pathways and Information-sharing Protocols

      Module 3 describes how to develop communication pathways and information-sharing agreements to guide the sharing of important information across the systems. It highlights the client-level information needed among the various partner agencies, addresses confidentiality considerations, and provides strategies for developing protocols.

      View Document Module 3 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Establishing Practice-Level Communication Pathways and Information-sharing Protocols
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    • Module 4 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Establishing Administrative-Level Data Sharing to Monitor and Evaluate Program Success

      Module 4 describes how collaborative initiatives can develop administrative-level information-sharing processes, monitoring, and evaluation to jointly track families across systems and evaluate program success.

      View Document Module 4 – Setting the Collaborative Foundation: Establishing Administrative-Level Data Sharing to Monitor and Evaluate Program Success
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    • Module 5 – Frontline Collaborative Efforts: Developing Screening Protocols to Identify Parental Substance Use Disorders and Related Child and Family Needs

      Module 5 provides an overview of the screening tools and processes that child welfare, substance use treatment, healthcare, another community-based agencies can use to identify parental substance use disorders and related challenges faced by children and families. It also describes the key steps that collaborative teams can take to develop a comprehensive screening protocol.

      View Document Module 5 – Frontline Collaborative Efforts: Developing Screening Protocols to Identify Parental Substance Use Disorders and Related Child and Family Needs
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    • Module 6 – Frontline Collaborative Efforts: Establishing Comprehensive Assessment Procedures and Promoting Family Engagement into Services

      Module 6 outlines assessment tools and procedures to determine the nature and extent of parental substance use disorders and family needs and risks. It highlights the role of the collaborative partners in monitoring assessment results and describes strategies for family engagement into services.

      View Document Module 6 – Frontline Collaborative Efforts: Establishing Comprehensive Assessment Procedures and Promoting Family Engagement into Services
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    • Module 7 – Frontline Collaborative Efforts: Developing and Monitoring Joint Case Plans and Promoting Treatment Retention and Positive Family Outcomes

      Module 7 describes how cross-systems collaboratives can jointly develop and monitor family case plans that are mutually supportive and considerate of the needs and requirements placed on the family by each involved system. It also offers strategies to promote family engagement into treatment and case plans, treatment completion, and positive family outcomes.

      View Document Module 7 – Frontline Collaborative Efforts: Developing and Monitoring Joint Case Plans and Promoting Treatment Retention and Positive Family Outcomes
  • Child Welfare Timeline for SUD Treatment and Other Partners Technical Assistance Brief
    (PDF 9.2 MB)

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2020

    This Regional Partnership Grant Technical Assistance Brief presents three key strategies that agencies can use to strengthen collaboration between child welfare and substance use disorder treatment systems for supporting safe and timely reunification of families affected by substance use disorders. These strategies have generated a body of knowledge and set of best practices proven to achieve improved outcomes.

    View Document Child Welfare Timeline for SUD Treatment and Other Partners Technical Assistance Brief
  • A Collaborative Approach to the Treatment of Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorders: Practice and Policy Considerations for Child Welfare, Collaborating Medical, and Service Providers
    (PDF 1.52 MB)

    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2016

    Information about the extent of opioid use by pregnant women and the effects on the infant; evidenced-based recommendations for treatment approaches; an in-depth case study; and a guide for collaborative planning are included in this publication. Also included is an overview of the Five-Point Intervention Framework that is used by agencies to plan interventions with families who have an infant with prenatal substance exposure.

    View Document A Collaborative Approach to the Treatment of Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorders: Practice and Policy Considerations for Child Welfare, Collaborating Medical, and Service Providers
  • Creating and Sustaining Cross-System Collaboration to Support Families in Child Welfare With Co-Occurring Issues: An Administrator’s Handbook
    (PDF 1.39 MB)

    Capacity Building Center for States, 2017

    The Capacity Building Center for States designed this handbook to help states collaborate across human service systems to meet the needs of families with co-occurring disorders.

    View Document Creating and Sustaining Cross-System Collaboration to Support Families in Child Welfare With Co-Occurring Issues: An Administrator’s Handbook
  • Building and Sustaining Child Welfare Partnerships
    (PDF 5.95 KB)

    Capacity Building Center for States, 2017

    The Systems of Care initiative uses six key action steps to serve children and families. This document presents key steps and strategies for building and sustaining effective partnerships and summarizes evaluation findings related to collaboration.

    View Document Building and Sustaining Child Welfare Partnerships
  • Facilitating Cross-System Collaboration: A Primer on Child Welfare, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and Courts
    (PDF 1.09 MB)

    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2012

    This primer provides information about the operational characteristics of each system involved with cross-system communication and coordination within state, county, and tribal jurisdictions.

    View Document Facilitating Cross-System Collaboration: A Primer on Child Welfare, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and Courts
  • The Collaborative Practice Model for Family Recovery, Safety, and Stability
    (PDF 1.92 MB)

    Children and Family Futures, 2011

    The collaborative practice model provides 10 system elements that child welfare agencies, substance use treatment providers, family courts, and other agencies can use to structure and improve their collaborative approach to care. This publication defines collaborative practice and provides examples of the model in each system element.

    View Document The Collaborative Practice Model for Family Recovery, Safety, and Stability
  • Screening and Assessment for Family Engagement, Retention, and Recovery (SAFERR)
    (PDF 3 MB)

    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2006

    SAFERR is a collaborative model that helps child welfare professionals, substance use treatment providers, and family court professionals make better-informed decisions to identify parents in need of services and to better communicate important information across agencies. The focus of SAFERR is to improve outcomes for children and families affected by substance use disorders. The model also provides strategies to aid in fostering connections, communication techniques, and collaborative capacities across agencies. Sample screening and assessment tools assist staff at public and private agencies in responding to families in their caseloads.

    View Document Screening and Assessment for Family Engagement, Retention, and Recovery (SAFERR)

• Related Online Trainings, Videos, and Webinars

  • Better Together: Developing a Coordinated Response
    (PDF 1.09 MB)

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2015

    Geared to child welfare professionals, this webinar addresses collaborative practice at intake and investigation and includes lessons from several collaborative sites.

    Watch Video Better Together: Developing a Coordinated Response
  • Opioid Use in Pregnancy: A Community’s Approach, The Children and Recovering Mothers (CHARM) Collaborative
    

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2015

    This webinar features the Children and Recovering Mothers (CHARM) collaborative, originally based in Burlington, VT. CHARM is a multidisciplinary group of agencies serving pregnant women with opioid use disorders, their infants, and families. Discussion in this webinar focuses on services provided and collaborative practice elements across systems at multiple points of intervention: prenatal, birth, and postpartum.

    Watch Video Opioid Use in Pregnancy: A Community’s Approach, The Children and Recovering Mothers (CHARM) Collaborative
  • Regional Partnership Grant—Enhanced Collaboration, Promising Results
    

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2014

    This webinar highlights the strategies and services that grantees implemented, the outcomes they achieved, and lessons learned in the implementation of the Regional Partnership Grant program.

    Watch Video Regional Partnership Grant—Enhanced Collaboration, Promising Results
  • Bringing Families Together: Models of Hope and Recovery
    

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2011

    This video features the 10-Element Framework of System Linkages, developed to help states and tribal and local communities overcome barriers and identify strategies as they facilitate effective partnerships. Workers from mental health services, substance use treatment, child welfare, and family courts are the intended audience of this video.

    Watch Video Bringing Families Together: Models of Hope and Recovery

• State and Local Examples

  • Collaboration Pathways for Infants and Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders: Lessons From New Jersey
    (PDF 4.96 MB)

    National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2019

    This case study highlights New Jersey’s progress and achievements in relation to its engagement with the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare In-Depth Technical Assistance (IDTA) program. The report describes the context of New Jersey’s IDTA engagements and the barriers encountered, and it includes guidance for practice and policy reform that will assist states in improving outcomes for infants and families.

    View Document Collaboration Pathways for Infants and Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders: Lessons From New Jersey
  • Brief 3: Cross-Systems Collaboration, Governance and Leadership—The FDC Trifecta for Systems Change
    (PDF 8.41 MB)

    Children and Family Futures, 2017

    The Prevention and Family Recovery initiative is a Children and Family Futures program, funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and The Duke Endowment. The program seeks to advance the capacity of family drug courts to provide evidence-based programs using a family-centered approach to change local systems. The initiative focuses on courts and their collaborative partners’ provision of comprehensive family-centered care to children and families. This brief summarizes lessons from four family drug court (FDC) grantees who developed cross-systems collaboration, governance, and leadership to form a broader foundation for collaborative endeavors in child and family services.

    View Document Brief 3: Cross-Systems Collaboration, Governance and Leadership—The FDC Trifecta for Systems Change
  • Vermont Children and Recovering Mothers (CHARM) Collaborative, Appendix 5, A Collaborative Approach to the Treatment of Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorders
    (PDF 1.52 MB)

    Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2016

    The CHARM Collaborative is an innovative program that serves women with opioid use disorders and their families. CHARM partners with child protective services, treatment partners, and the family. In the 30 days before a woman’s due date, the program creates a plan for the infant and family that will be used after a baby’s birth. Ongoing supportive services are provided to both the mother and infant for 18–24 months. This proactive approach to engaging pregnant women in treatment and establishing a plan for the newborn has significantly reduced the number of emergency investigations by child protective services at the time of birth.

    View Document Children and Recovering Mothers (CHARM) Collaborative in Burlington, Vermont: A Case Study (Appendix 5)

• Additional Resources

  • Walking on Common Ground: Resources for Promoting and Facilitating Tribal-State-Federal Collaborations

    Tribal Law and Policy Institute, 2019

    Funded through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Walking on Common Ground is an ongoing initiative to promote collaboration and education among tribal, state, and federal agencies. This website provides resources, tools, strategies, training, and technical assistance.

    Visit Website Walking on Common Ground: Resources for Promoting and Facilitating Tribal-State-Federal Collaborations
  • Suicide Prevention Center: Partnerships and Collaboration

    Suicide Prevention Center, 2019

    A host of resources are designed to help suicide prevention programs in state, tribal, campus, and community settings to build and strengthen connections with their substance use prevention and treatment counterparts. This website includes resources such as a collaboration checklist, a worksheet on developing a memorandum of understanding, tasks for initial collaboration meetings, and a worksheet with tips to improve member retention and participation.

    Visit Website Suicide Prevention Center: Partnerships and Collaboration
  • Improving Child Well-Being: Strengthening Collaboration Between the Child Welfare and Health Care Systems
    (PDF 708 KB)

    The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Policy Lab & Safe Place, 2014

    Improving the well-being of children involved with the child welfare system requires strong collaboration between child welfare professionals and healthcare providers. This brief serves as a resource for states seeking to strengthen these collaborations across the continuum of child welfare services, including intake and investigation, in-home protective services, foster care, and post-reunification services.

    View Document Improving Child Well-Being: Strengthening Collaboration Between the Child Welfare and Health Care Systems
  • Minnesota Statement of Shared Values and Guiding Principles
    (PDF 28 KB)

    Minnesota Children’s Justice Initiative

    Courts, child welfare, and community agencies in Minnesota work together to improve the effective delivery of services to children and families affected by substance use disorders. This statement of shared values and guiding principles forms the basis for implementing change in policies and practice to improve services and outcomes for children and families.

    View Document Minnesota Statement of Shared Values and Guiding Principles