Interagency collaborative care for young people with complex needs: Front-line staff perspectives

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Social Work

Background:

• Young people face increasing health and social challenges globally.
• Integrated health and social care services are vital for addressing complex needs of at-risk youth.
• Youth-One-Stop-Shops (YOSSs) in New Zealand offer integrated care, but their collaborative mechanisms are under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how Youth-One-Stop-Shops (YOSSs) facilitate collaboration with external agencies for at-risk youth.
• To understand the perceived benefits and challenges of interagency collaboration in youth care.

Main Methods:

• A multiple case study approach was employed between 2015 and 2017.
• Qualitative data were collected through focus groups and individual interviews.
• Participants included staff from Youth-One-Stop-Shops (YOSSs) and external agencies.

Main Results:

• Collaboration is considered critical for high-needs youth care, with staff generally positive about interagency work.
• Youth-One-Stop-Shops (YOSSs) were seen as actively facilitating communication and providing wraparound care.
• Challenges included differing agency "world views" and cultures, but trusting relationships were key to overcoming these.
• Without YOSS involvement, interagency collaboration was limited to information exchange.

Conclusions:

• Youth-One-Stop-Shops (YOSSs) play a pivotal role in coordinating collaborative care for young people with complex needs.
• The integrated, wraparound approach of YOSSs is valued by diverse agencies.
• Building trusting interpersonal relationships is essential for successful interagency collaboration in youth services.