IHR’s relational and integrated approach supports working toward a comprehensive continuum of care for women, adolescents and families. Historically, services to families have been fragmented. While policy level staff across state agencies have become familiar with each other’s mandates, resources and expertise, much ongoing work is necessary to address this fragmentation on both the policy and service delivery levels. IHR collaborates across service delivery systems at all levels.
IHR works to support coordinated policy development regarding issues and services that impact families affected by substance abuse, with a strong emphasis on the frequent convergence of substance use disorders, mental illness and trauma. To accomplish this task, IHR:
- Has convened statewide, multi-disciplinary Task Forces addressing policy & standards of care.
- Participates in cross-disciplinary policy & planning forums.
- Provides testimony & analysis of existing or proposed policy.
- Assists in developing new forums to address emerging issues.
With the support and participation of the Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (BSAS), IHR has collaborated with:
§ Department of Mental Health (DMH) to successfully engage local DMH Area Offices to partner with local family residential programs to enhance the level of support that children in need of mental health evaluations and services receive
§ Department of Social Services (DSS) to engage parents with open service plans and identified substance use disorders to access treatment
§ Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) to train emergency family shelters on the impact on family and housing stability of substance use disorders
§ Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to oversee the operational linkages between Community Housing vendors and their local housing management companies
§ Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) to train their providers on the impact of substance use disorders on families and the availability of specialized treatment programs
§ Department of Youth Services (DYS) to increase access to substance abuse services for youth in the juvenile justice system
§ Within the Department of Public Health (DPH), the Bureau of Family and Community Health to facilitate routine and universal prenatal screening for alcohol and other drug use.
IHR’s external collaborations also include community-based providers to increase access to services as well as further develop gender-specific and family-centered treatment.
As each of IHR’s components focuses on a different content area governed by separate policies related to funding, program design and practice, IHR staff participate in internal collaborations to:
- Effectively model comprehensive & integrated services.
- Foster discussions across content areas.
- Identify gaps in a barriers to services.
- Disclose additional need for information.
- Create new understandings of service delivery, mandates & resources.
Whether validating system strengths or exposing shortcomings, internal collaborations have always benefited the population to be served.
Systems work necessitates resource identification and development. Over the course of our history, IHR’s work to enhance and promote services for women and families has included:
- identifying resources on the community, regional and state levels that contribute to integrating and coordinating services (such as: A Service Continuum: Publicly-Funded Specialized Substance Abuse Treatment Services for Women and Families in Massachusetts )marketing specialized services to other services providers and state agency staffs as well as the general public
- assisting treatment providers in linking to other agencies in their communities
- utilizing federal grants to increase the awareness of other health and human service professionals of the treatment needs of women and families and the availability of specialized treatment programs
To achieve a comprehensive continuum of care, IHR:
- organizes provider forums to encourage interagency information and resource sharing
- facilitates interdisciplinary communication among substance abuse, mental health, health care, social services, and child welfare agencies
- designs service delivery system enhancements, such as child care, parenting, and aftercare