The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #39752

Eric R. Wright, PhD, Department of Sociology, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Cavanaugh Hall 303, 425 University Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202, (317) 274-8589, ewright@iupui.edu, Jeffrey A. Anderson, PhD, Teacher Education / School of Education, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, ES 3124, 902 W. New York St., Indianapolis, IN 46202, and Harold E. Kooreman, MA, Indiana Consortium for Mental Health Services Research, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Cavanaugh Hall 303, 425 University Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Many systems of care initiatives emphasize the importance of service coordination teams (SCT) for integrating services for children and youth with serious emotional disorders. Research has documented that SCTs can improve the effectiveness of services provided to these young people. Several recent studies, however, have cautioned that the effectiveness of SCTs is influenced by the internal dynamics and interactional processes within teams. Here, we examine the relationship between SCT conflicts and program outcomes. The data come from an evaluation of the Dawn Project, a systems of care initiative in Marion County, Indiana. Team meeting minutes and records for 152 clients who completed the program were collated and coded to document each episode of conflict, the date of the incident, and the initiator and target of the conflict. The results indicate that conflict is routine feature of meetings with 91.5% of the teams reported at least one (mean=8.73). Despite variation in the initiator and targets of conflicts, parents stand out as the team member most often viewed as the source of conflicts. Moreover, conflict was found to result in clients leaving the program before achieving the planned treatment goals. More frequent conflict further is a significant predictor of a service provider or system partner pulling a client out of the program and of a team reaching the conclusion that they can not provide effective treatment for a client. The implications of these findings for understanding the effectiveness of SCT for children and youth with serious emotional disorders are discussed.

Learning Objectives:

• Consider the theoretical importance of the interactional dynamics of service coordination as a factor in shaping the effectiveness of systems of care initiatives for children and youth with serious emotional disorders.
• Describe nature and extent of conflict within service coordination teams;
• Articulate the relationship between the nature and frequency of conflict on service coordination teams the outcomes for youth and their families participating in systems of care initiatives.

Keywords: Child/Adolescent Mental Health, Service Delivery

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.