Coordination of Services Using Multidisciplinary Teams

University Of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg MS

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (Provided by applicant): The major objective of this study is to conduct an exploratory study that examines the structure and process by which people from different agencies (interagency) and different disciplines (multidisciplinary) come together and become a team capable of effectively coordinating the delivery of services. Specifically, this research will focus on interagency, multidisciplinary teams that coordinate services to children and youth with serious emotional disorders (SEDs) in order to gain a better understanding of how they work. Although these teams have become an important strategy in coordinating services in both health care and mental health settings, and particularly to families and youth, little is known about the interaction process, how team structure develops over time, the effect of team composition and community context, and the relationship to team effectiveness. Moreover, although much prescriptive literature exists, there is a lack of research and theory about mental health teams, particularly interagency, multidisciplinary teams. It is assumed that persons put in teams will automatically work together, but this seldom happens. Thus, it is critical that we understand how collaborative teams operate and the factors that facilitate or hinder their performance. What is unique about this study is that it takes an in-depth look at the process and structure of interagency, multidisciplinary teams, how they change over time, and how these changes relate to team effectiveness. The findings will provide not only a much richer understanding of how these teams operate but also will provide the basis for the development of hypotheses that can be tested in a larger study. Another thing that makes this study unique is the focus on identifying and developing measures and instruments that can be used in future research involving these teams. Furthermore, special emphasis will be put on finding performance measures that are specific to teams serving families and children with SEDs. Measures will reflect the need for family involvement, strengths-based services, nontraditional services, and creative and innovative solutions. The findings from this study can be used to develop team-based interventions and best practices that, in turn, can be used to guide policymakers and administrators in making interagency, multidisciplinary teams more effective. This is particularly important for a state such as Mississippi that uses these teams to coordinate services especially in rural areas in order to stretch already scarce resources. Lastly, the findings from this pilot study will be used to guide several larger future investigations involving interagency, multidisciplinary teams. For instance, one study involves the differences between rural and urban teams and how these differences affect coordination of services and development of a system of care.