I. Introduction
(Purpose):
We are trying to learn in detail what factors help and hinder collaboration between child welfare and substance abuse fields. If services are to be effective with substance- abusing families in the child welfare system, we need to know exactly how collaborative projects are developed, what it takes to develop and institutionalize lines of communication between systems, and which strategies work best to get professionals in both systems “on the same page” in case planning with substance-abusing families. To this end, we are conducting a series of interviews with staff from both the child welfare and substance abuse fields in several counties that have managed to develop formal collaborative models. Professionals in each of these fields, such as you, are in an unusually good position to observe the specific processes, practices, policies, and programs that are involved in collaboration.
(Logistics):
• Explain confidentiality and collect consent form
• Stress that results will be summarized and reported in aggregate form; no interviewee identifying information will be included
• Explain purpose of taping and that tape will be erased after transcription II. Questions
1. What are some of the collaborative practices between child welfare and substance abuse systems in this county that are in place?
Probes:
• How did these collaborative efforts begin?
• What were the first steps that were taken to develop collaboration?
• Who was involved, what events–if any–facilitated the initiation of this/these effort/s, how did the idea/s for collaboration begin?
• Did clarification of values play a role in this process, and if so, how did this occur?
• How does the process of values clarification continue as you work together?
• What would you say were the three most important factors that facilitated
the beginning of your collaboration?
2. Based on your own experience and what you hear from colleagues, what were the most important factors that helped this collaboration to develop?
Probes:
• These factors can include anything that helped your collaboration (people/leaders, policy changes, values clarification, shared projects, cross-training, etc).
• What are some of the factors that are currently most helpful to advancing your collaborative efforts?
• General probe: You mentioned _________ as an important factor. Can you explain exactly how that facilitated your collaborative efforts?
3. What have been the factors that “got in the way” of collaboration? How were these overcome? (If they were not entirely overcome, how have these factors impacted collaboration?)
• These factors can include anything that hindered your collaboration (people/leaders, policy changes, values conflict, problems in shared projects, gaps in training, etc).
• What are some of the factors that you consider to be significant barriers or problems in building or sustaining your collaborative efforts?
• You mentioned _________ as an important factor. Can you explain exactly how that impeded your collaborative efforts?
4. What formal and informal mechanisms are in place to facilitate collaboration between substance abuse and child welfare fields in your county?
• Probe questions for each specific mechanism: How does it work? Who is involved?
• What ways—if any—might it be improved? What is being done to ensure that these practices continue or are used by different staff? (For formal agreement, ask if it would be possible to obtain a copy of written agreements and who would need to be approached to obtain the document).
• How is the adoption of these practices encouraged? How are they institutionalized?
• Describe differences you perceive, if any, in the adoption and use of formal communication protocols among helping professionals that are closely involved in your collaboration and those that are working in other programs/divisions/areas.
Preface: One of the best ways to define effective practices is to explore the details of specific incidents that were particularly successful. Also, as you know, some
of the best “lessons” emerge out of mistakes, so it is important to gather information about incidents that were less successful. I have a few questions in each of these areas.
5. Think back to when you had a specific success in relation to communication between child welfare and substance abuse systems. What specifically made it “work?”
• What strategies or approaches “worked” in this case?
• Exactly what practices did you (or another professional) employ in this case?
• Describe what (if any) policy, procedure, or tool was used to facilitate communication?
• What was the outcome in relation to collaborative case planning between child welfare and substance abuse systems?
• What was the outcome for the child/family involved?
6. Now I would like to ask you to think of an incident in which communication between systems were problematic. What specifically was problematic?
• What were the barriers to communication in this incident?
• Exactly what practices did you (or another professional) employ in this case?
• Describe what (if any) policy, procedure, or tool was used to facilitate communication?
• What was the outcome in relation to collaborative case planning between systems?
• What was the outcome for the child/family involved?
• What practices, resources, or conditions, in your opinion, might have lead to a better outcome?
7. From your experience, what are the most important practices for communicating between systems that might be helpful in daily practice when working with substance-abusing families in the child welfare system, even for helping professional working in counties that may not yet have formal collaborative programs?
• How would you describe these practices?
• What tools, skills, and information are required to implement this practice? • In what ways, if any, might this lead to improved shared case planning? 8. This interview today was intended to help us understand what factors facilitate or
impede collaboration between substance abuse and child welfare systems. Have we missed anything?
III. Demographics
1. What is your current position (in Alcohol/Other Drug Programs or Children and Family Services)? Would you categorize this as a management, supervisor, or direct services position?
2. How long have you been in this position?
3. How long have you been involved in collaboration between child welfare, substance abuse fields, and the courts in your county?
4. What is your role in the collaboration? 5. What is the highest degree that you hold?
Section I Handout 1