A Multi-Level Analysis of Community Coordinating Councils

Abstract

Coordinating councils are frequently formed to promote a coordinated response to complex social issues (e.g., community health, violence prevention). Little is known, to date, however, about council effectiveness. Prior research on council effectiveness and the correlates of effectiveness have typically relied on case studies. While case studies provide rich descriptive information about the functioning and quality of councils, studies of multiple settings are central to understanding what factors explain variability in perceived effectiveness across councils. Further, the relatively few studies that have examined multiple settings often ignore the multi-level nature of studying councils by failing to disaggregate individual and council level effects. To examine councils' perceived effectiveness in attaining their goals and the correlates of council effectiveness across settings, data were gathered from members (N = 511) and leaders (N = 41) of 43 domestic violence coordinating councils regarding their perceived climate, membership, structure, and accomplishments. Study findings suggest that councils were not perceived as uniformly effective. Councils were more likely to be rated as effective by members and leaders when they were characterized by an inclusive climate and diverse active membership.

Engaging Conflict: Supporting Power‐sharing Through Constructive Conflict Resolution

“…These findings also underscore the critical interplay between conflict and power in collaborative work, and are important given that shared power has consistently been linked to markers of Council effectiveness (e.g., Allen, 2005Allen, , 2006Foster-Fishman et al, 2001).…”

“…Collaborative partnerships are an increasingly popular tool to affect large-scale change around issues such as intimate partner violence (Allen, 2005), substance use (Fawcett et al, 1997), gang violence (Folayemi, 2001), and services for individuals with developmental disabilities (McCann & Gray, 1986). Such partnerships have the potential to provide stakeholders with a setting through which they share responsibility and resources, exceeding the efforts that would be possible of any single organization or group (Butterfoss, Goodman, & Wandersman, 1993).…”

Examining Systems Change in the Response to Domestic Violence: Innovative Applications of Multilevel Modeling

“…Coordinating councils are one prominent social change vehicle charged with facilitating systems change in local communities or regions (e.g., Allen, 2005Allen, , 2006. Ideally, in these councils interagency coordination is promoted by bringing together multiple stakeholder groups (e.g., law enforcement, the judiciary, domestic violence advocates, faith-based and human service providers) and engaging them in shared reform efforts.…”

Sequence and Timing of Three Community Interventions to Domestic Violence

“…Coordinated community response (CCR) councils are an ecologically oriented strategy that brings together law enforcement, courts, social service agencies, community activists, and advocates for women to address the problem of domestic violence holistically (Salazar et al 2007). CCRs share some common goals, including increasing victim safety and offender accountability by encouraging interorganizational exchanges, developing more integrated service delivery systems, and enhancing communication between agencies (Adler 2002;Allen 2005;Muftić and Bouffard 2007;Pence and McDonnell 1999;Salazar et al 2007). …”