title: Interorganizational relationships among family support organizations and child mental health agencies.
abstract: This study examined: (1) qualitative aspects of close working relationships between family support organizations and child mental health agencies, including effective and ineffective characteristics of the relationship and aspects that they would change, and (2) the impact of the working relationship upon the family support organization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 40 directors of family support organizations characterized as having a close working relationship with a child mental health agency. Three main themes emerged regarding the quality of the working relationship: (a) interactional factors, including shared trust, communication, collaboration and service coordination; (b) aspects of the inner context of the family support organization, mental health agency, or both, including alignment of goals and values and perceptions of mental health services; and (c) outer contextual factors external to the organizations, such as financial and county regulations. Responses to the perceived impact of the relationship was divided into two themes: positive impacts (e.g. gained respect, influence and visibility), and negative impacts (e.g. lack of trust). This study lays the foundation for future research to better understand the mechanisms underlying interorganizational relationships in communities among different types of providers to create a more seamless continuum of services for families of children with mental health conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, One Park Avenue at East 33rd, 8th Floor, New York, NY, 10016, USA, mary.acri@nyumc.org.
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Acri
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palinkas
authors.forename: Kimberly E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Hoagwood
authors.forename: Sa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schoonover
authors.forename: Jennifer Rolls
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Reutz
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Landsverk
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services; D003142:Communication; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005192:Family Health; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D008605:Mental Health Services; D009938:Organizations