title: Forming and sustaining partnerships to provide integrated services for young people: an overview based on the headspace Geelong experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To discuss critical considerations in the formation and maintenance of agency partnerships designed to provide integrated care for young people.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two years after its establishment, an evaluation of the headspace Barwon collaboration and a review of the health-care and management literature on agency collaboration were conducted. The principal findings together with the authors' experience working at establishing and maintaining the partnership are used to discuss critical issues in forming and maintaining inter-agency partnerships.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Structural and process considerations are necessary but not sufficient for the successful formation and maintenance of inter-agency partnerships and integrated care provision. Specifically, organizational culture change and staff engagement is a significant challenge and planning for this is essential and often neglected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although agreeing on common goals and objectives is an essential first step in forming partnerships designed to provide integrated care, goodwill is not enough, and the literature consistently shows that most collaborations fail to meet their objectives. Principles and lessons of organizational behaviour and management practices in the business sector can contribute a great deal to partnership planning.
authors.affiliation: Mental Health, Drugs and Alcohol Services, Barwon Health Deakin University, School of Medicine Organisational Psychology, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. thomas@barwonhealth.org.au
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Callaly
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: von Treuer
authors.forename: Toni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: van Hamond
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Windle
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001315:Australia; D019033:Delivery of Health Care, Integrated / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009313:National Health Programs; D015279:Organizational Culture; D015397:Program Evaluation