title: Lessons from a Canadian province: examining collaborations between the mental health and justice sectors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this paper was to identify the factors that program developers perceived as important to the successful collaboration between the mental health and justice sectors in seven Ontario, Canada, post-booking programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Semi-structured telephone interviews with developers of the programs in each region were conducted. Key informants were identified using a snowball technique. All transcripts were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The primary themes identified involved partnership development, adjustment to broader mandates and addressing ongoing challenges. Conclusions were validated through member checking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings highlight important considerations for cross-ministerial enterprises. If partnerships are constructed within the existing parameters of systems, the system with the most flexibility will be required to work around its partner's constraints. The role of the adapter could be acknowledged by having the funding flow through the adapter's system. Program development will involve a significant time investment including activities to become part of both systems' culture through education, establishing a presence and identifying boundary spanners. Long-run implications for both systems should also be considered.
authors.affiliation: Health Systems Research and Consulting Unit, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada. carolyn_dewa@camh.net
authors.forename: Carolyn S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Dewa
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Trojanowski
authors.forename: Chiachen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sirotich
mesh_terms: D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003416:Criminal Law; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009864:Ontario