Research to Practice Summit

School-Linked Integrated Services: Evidence of Change at the Local Level ¹

Christine Salisbury, Ph.D.

• Principal Investigator/Project Director
• Interagency Planning and Support Project
• Allegheny University of the Health Sciences

Aim: This session is being proposed to share findings from a federally funded project designed to validate a model for integrating education, health, and human services for young children with disabilities, and their families, at the local level. Specific aims include: a) to describe the process used to develop and implement integrated services; b) to share evidence of impact on local policies and planning; and c) to share the unified services document and discuss its implementation with families and agencies at the local level.

Issue: The U.S. Department of Education (1995), the national Education and Human Services Consortium (1991), and others note that traditional systems of educational and human services are often fragmented, duplicative, and confusing for families to access. These systems frequently compete for limited funds, duplicate geographic service areas, and lack effective communication channels within and across agencies. The potential for negative impact on children and families is significant. Efforts to address these barriers have sought to improve the cooperation between and among existing systems, rather than address the structural, legal, and fiscal constraints that create those barriers (Lynch, Jackson, Mendoza, & English, 1995). Current models of services integration do not directly address the needs of students with identified disabilities, use required program planning tools (e.g., IEPs) as a catalyst for unifying services, or provide defensible evidence of impact on systems, families, and the children they support.

Outcomes: We have moved beyond cooperation and coordination, to actual collaboration, in the way in which the planning meetings are conducted, systems blend resources, and services and supports are delivered. One of the most important developments has been a single document that integrates the program plans of educational and human services agencies into a unified plan for the child and family. Partner agencies include: mental health, family services, family court, psychiatric services, vocational rehabilitation, and early intervention networks as collaborative partners with the family and the school district. Technological linkages are being developed to allow mutual access to the document and enhanced communication across agencies.

Information will be provided regarding the impact of the model on organizational roles, responsibilities, and policies as they relate to local administration of education and human service agencies. The nature of the unified services plan will be described, as well as how local agencies are preparing for large scale implementation. Specific attention will be dedicated to how the interagency technological interface facilitates collaboration across agency partners and the district. An overview of the comprehensive evaluation plan for this initiative will be shared.

Implications: This session is important because it provides information about a federally funded initiative that directly addresses national and local needs for improved coordination and collaboration among families and professionals. Further, it highlights how restructured policies and practices can emerge through the integration of services and supports for children and families.