Defining Service Coordination: A Social Work Perspective

To address fragmentation, social workers are encouraged to "coordinate." This pilot study explores the meaning of, and factors that facilitate or prevent "coordination" and is intended as a first step toward future conceptual refinement, theory development, and system interventions. Using data from treatment guidelines archived by the National Guideline Clearinghouse (n=9) and semi-structured interviews with social workers (n=4), themes related to the definition, indicators, and perceptions of coordination were explored using a grounded theory approach. Data suggest the need for coordination is driven by complex client needs, but the quality of providers' personal relationships influence coordination. Future research might examine the impact of standardization of roles, referral procedures, and treatment philosophies.