The INTEGRATION OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES

Description of the Study

Governments have invested significant resources into services designed to improve the health and well-being of young children who have emotional, behavioural or developmental difficulties. The resulting organization of services may inhibit children from receiving all the care that they need. To improve this, there has been a call for greater integration of services for children. However, it is not clear whether present efforts at integration are leading to better service delivery or improved outcomes for children.

The Objectives of this Study are to:

• Develop a theoretical model that attempts to link service integration to improved child and family outcomes
• Identify factors that influence service utilization for children with mental health problems in the child welfare system
• Explore the use of service utilization maps to understand the organization of services and to identify any service integration problems
• Investigate entry points into the service system
• Develop a survey to explore key service utilization issues faced by parents of young children with special needs.

The Study Approach

Four health regions were selected for this study, including rural and urban areas in Alberta and Ontario. Key methodological approaches include individual interviews and focus groups with parents, service providers and administrators, the construction of service utilization maps, document reviews, and the development and distribution of a service utilization survey for parents of young children with special needs.

Importance to Decision-Makers

This study will (i) provide decision-makers with a practical model to guide service integration efforts and (ii) inform decision-makers of key factors impeding service delivery to children with special needs and their families.

Funders

• Canadian Health Services Research Foundation
• Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research
• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care

Research Team

John D. McLennan, MD, MPH, FRCP(C), Assistant Professor, Departments of Community Health Sciences and Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Principal Investigator.

Michael Boyle, MSW, PhD, Professor, McMaster University, Member, Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Robin McWilliam, MA, PhD, Director, Division of Child Development, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

D.R. Offord, MD, FRCP(C), Professor, McMaster University, Director, Offord Centre for Child Studies, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Kent Rondeau, MA, MBA, PhD, Assistant Professor, University of Alberta, Director of the Health Policy and Management Program, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Debbie Sheehan, BScN, MSW, Manager, STD/HIV Program, Public Health & Community Services Department, City of Hamilton, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Michelle Caza, MA, Research Coordinator, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Ellie J. Deveau, BScN, Research Coordinator, Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada