The Dynamics of Interagency Collaboration: How Linkages Develop for Child Welfare and Juvenile Justice Sectors in a System of Care Demonstration

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper describes results of a secondary analysis of interorganizational network data collected in an evaluation of a system-level intervention that was designed to integrate service delivery across multiple sectors serving children with serious emotional disturbances. Data measuring the extent of interorganizational resource exchange were analyzed to investigate changes in patterns of interagency collaboration involving child welfare and juvenile justice sectors. A general pattern of increasing resource exchanges over time is characterized as relatively modest but important in demonstrating incremental growth in cooperative interorganizational relationships. Findings are consistent with reports documenting the project's implementation and qualitative impressions of agency respondents.