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A belief in the value of coordination, partnership and collaboration Research demonstrates that effective collaboration can have significant resource, organisational, referral and service delivery benefits. A core part of this paper is an analysis of the potential benefits of collaboration and an overview of existing collaborative activity in the ACT and elsewhere. By doing so, we hope to advance the objective expressed in the ACT Mental Health Strategy and Action Plan 2003-8, to improve ‘coordination between service sectors’. The Strategy identifies ‘the development of effective partnerships between the mental health sector and other sectors, including [general practitioners] GP’s and community organisations’ as a key feature of the Action Plan. 25 It also commits to collaboration between government agencies, in identification and early intervention, 26 stating that: Effective partnerships and linkages between mental health services and the range of other services required by consumers … are integral to meeting the mental health care needs of consumers. 27 EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF COLLABORATION Developing an effective integrated service strategy requires ‘rigorous thinking’ about the ‘nature, form and terms of cross-agency cooperation’. 28 At a theoretical and conceptual level, some of this thinking has begun, with a developing ‘collaboration’ literature set. A review of this literature informs the following discussion of the definition, objectives, types, forms and stages of collaboration. Defining collaboration Collaboration has been defined as: ‘a process through which parties who see different aspects of a problem can constructively explore their differences and search for solutions that go beyond their own limited vision of what is possible’. 29 An alternative definition requires that organisations: ‘develop mechanisms – structures, processes and skills – for bridging organisational and interpersonal differences’. 30 The various goals pursued through collaboration have been defined in the following categories: • creation or modification of service delivery; • resource maximisation; • policy development at organisational or community levels; • systems development and change through changed relationships between organisations; and • social and community development aimed at strengthening communities.’ 31 Social service cooperation may be of three different types, depending on the organisations involved. All of them are essential to ensure the maximum efficacy of the social service system. Interdepartmental cooperation: This is cooperation between government departments. It is critical to enable governments to implement ‘whole-ofgovernment’ approaches to particular policy issues, like mental health. It is also essential to reduce ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 25 At 7. 26 At 7. 27 At 39. 28 Denise Henry, Place Management – A Partnership Approach, NCOSS Conference Paper, 2003, at 2. 29 Gray, B (1989), Collaboration: Finding common ground for multi-party problems. Jossey Bass, San Francisco at 105, cited by Dr Rae Walker, Collaboration and Alliances: A Review for Vichealth, September 2000, published by Victorian Health Promotion Foundation at 1. 30 Kanter, R.M. (1994) ‘Collaborative Advantage: The Art of Alliances’, Harvard Business Review. July-August, quoted by Dr Rae Walker, Collaboration and Alliances: A Review for Vichealth, September 2000, published by Victorian Health Promotion Foundation at 1. 31 University of Wisconsin – Cooperative Extension (1998), Evaluating collaboratives: Reaching the potential, University of Wisconsin, Madison, cited by Dr Rae Walker, Collaboration and Alliances: A Review for Vichealth, September 2000, published by Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. 13 Towards an integrated mental health service system in the ACT•June 2007 NO WRONG DOORS
• Collaborating: ‘in addition to the other activities siloing between departments and its mirroring in activities and sharing resources’. 34 they are unlikely to be achieved. Challenges the community sector due to segregated funding streams. described, collaboration includes enhancing the capacity of the other partner for mutual benefit and a common purpose’. 35 Interagency cooperation: This is cooperation that takes place between two organisations or agencies. This might be between two government service agencies, for example, the Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team (CATT) and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), or between two A particular project or policy initiative may involve a number of partners, all with different relationships between them, for example, networking, coordination, cooperation and collaboration. There may be a lead agency principally driving the initiative. community sector organisations, for example, Appropriate partnerships will require discussion and the Mental Illness Fellowship and the Richmond the development of dispute resolution forums, the Fellowship. This is essential for information and forging of a shared vision and common language referral networks to be effective, and for jointly and possibly also the development of new service administered programs. delivery models. 36 Recent literature on collaboration Intersectoral cooperation: This refers to cooperation between different service sectors, for example mental health and AOD. It might take place between government and/or community agencies. For example, a joint project or referral system between Directions (a drug and alcohol service) and the Mental Health Foundation (which provides psychosocial rehabilitation to mental health consumers). has identified a number of stages in the collaboration process, necessary to effective and sustainable collaboration. Dr Rae Walker, adapting from the earlier work of Gray, identifies three phases in the collaborative process: problem setting; reaching agreement and implementation. Research around effective inter-sectoral collaboration strategies is growing and there are now a number of useful resources to guide the development of policy and practice in this area. For example, VicHealth has Collaboration can take a number of forms, varying developed a ‘Partnerships Analysis Tool’, ‘a resource in the level of cooperation and integration required. for establishing, developing and maintaining The list of forms set out below is derived from the productive partnerships’. 37 Vicserv, Partnerships Analysis Tool: Recent research on collaboration between • Networking: ‘exchange of information for mutual benefit’. 32 organisations has emphasised how difficult it is to develop and maintain effective collaborative • Coordinating: ‘exchanging information and altering activities for a common purpose’. 33 relationships, even where there are adequate resources to support the initiative. 38 Unless the • Cooperating: ‘exchanging information, altering objectives of the collaboration are defined through mutual participation and for mutual benefit, ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 32 VicHealth, The Partnerships Analysis Tool: For Partners in Health Promotion accessed at http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/assets/contentFiles/VHP%20part.%20tool_low%20res.pdf. 33 Ibid. 34 Ibid. 35 Ibid. 36 Denise Henry, Place Management – A Partnership Approach, NCOSS Conference Paper, 2003, at 3. 37 VicHealth, The Partnerships Analysis Tool: For Partners in Health Promotion accessed at http://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/assets/contentFiles/VHP%20part.%20tool_ low%20res.pdf. This includes a partnership checklist to be completed before entry into a partnership and during its existence to ensure that the partnership is soundly based and continues to function effectively. 38 Pratt, Pampling and Gordon, (1998) Partnerships fit for purpose? King’s Fund, London, extracted by Dr Rae Walker, Collaboration and Alliances: A Review for Vichealth, September 2000, published by Victorian Health Promotion Foundation at i. NO WRONG DOORS Towards an integrated mental health service system in the ACT•June 2007 14
Page 2 and 3: no wrong doors Towards an integrate
Page 4 and 5: Table of contents ABOUT ACTCOSS....
Page 6 and 7: executive summary The purpose of th
Page 8 and 9: 9. Youth aged between 18 and 25 yea
Page 10 and 11: part 1: introduction BACKGROUND AND
Page 12 and 13: care’ initiatives as a key fundin
Page 16 and 17: to effective collaboration include:
Page 18 and 19: THE ACT SOCIAL COMPACT Relations Go
Page 20 and 21: health sector has long been ‘unde
Page 22 and 23: Consultations conducted in the deve
Page 24 and 25: 5. Commit to the development, with
Page 26 and 27: Failures of service coordination an
Page 28 and 29: esults for the individual concerned
Page 30 and 31: development of clear guidelines of
Page 32 and 33: and by the reluctance of some parti
Page 34 and 35: payments, they may live in public h
Page 36 and 37: work most effectively when working
Page 38 and 39: seeking help with other services. U
Page 40 and 41: health and social and emotional wel
Page 42 and 43: eferences Government policy documen
Page 44 and 45: appendix B CONSULTATION QUESTIONS T

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