Interagency collaboration in children and young people's mental health: a systematic review of outcomes, facilitating factors and inhibiting factors

Abstract

The results are consistent with findings from previous reviews of interagency collaboration across adult and child services: there were some indications of benefit; and facilitating and inhibiting factors involved working relationships and multi-agency processes, resources and management. The identification of these factors has implications for practitioners, service managers, trainers, commissioners and researchers.

Is it time to talk? Understanding specialty child mental healthcare providers' decisions to engage in interdisciplinary communication with pediatricians

“…Consistent with the extant literature on interprofessional collaboration, which suggests that collaborative care among interagency providers of mental health services is facilitated by mutual valuing, respect, and trust (Bramesfeld et al, 2012; Cooper et al, 2016), these providers indicated that when they had an established relationship or familiarity with a PCP they were more likely to contact them about a shared client and the exchange of information was more efficient. Further, several mental health providers evaluated the success of past communication exchanges based upon the pediatrician’s response to them.…”

“…The challenges of such interprofessional collaboration have been well documented throughout the healthcare arena (Hewett et al, 2009; Lewin & Reeves, 2011; McDougall et al, 2016; Watson et al, 2016), as well as specifically within children’s services (Cooper et al, 2016; Easen et al, 2000; Salmon, 2004). Among many identified structural, individual, and service level barriers, lack of effective communication among providers is consistently cited as a key hindrance to interagency collaboration in children’s mental health services (Cooper et al, 2016).…”

“…Among many identified structural, individual, and service level barriers, lack of effective communication among providers is consistently cited as a key hindrance to interagency collaboration in children’s mental health services (Cooper et al, 2016). Recognizing this fact, established competency recommendations and practice standards for mental health providers working in primary care settings include communication of urgent and routine clinical information to the primary care team to promote collaboration (e.g., American Psychological Association, 2013; National Association of Social Workers, 2005).…”

Barriers to the Integration of Care in Inter-Organisational Settings: A Literature Review

“…leading to a lack of shared information about particular patients [26]. This barrier was especially mentioned in studies on integrated mental healthcare provision [2526]. …”

“…Although such barriers are mentioned in various studies of integrated care in inter-organisational settings – partly as the main focus and partly as a by-product while elaborating on other facets of inter-organisational collaboration – so far no systematic review of the relevant literature has been compiled. Various literature reviews focus on inter-organisational collaboration and networks in different industries [222324], but few of these explicitly addresses barriers [122526], often with a very indication-specific focus on healthcare settings. Several empirical works address barriers to the delivery of integrated care in inter-organisational settings, but mostly focus on aspects specific to their case [1127] and lack theoretical embedding.…”