Table 2 Cross-system collaboration strategies—definitions, mechanisms, and outcomes as specified by the expert panel

Function: staff the program (administrative collaboration)

Actors: agency leaders (including human resource, procurement professionals), supervisors

1

Contract out: Contracting out for expertise involves outsourcing a staff role needed to implement a particular program/model to another organization. This entails an agreement that the staff person in this position is employed by another organization for purposes of supporting the EBP/program in the focal organization

Improve flexibility

Access new resources

Staff recruitment/retention

Staff capacity

Feasibility

Speed (launch)

Fidelity (overall)

Sustainability

–

2

Joint supervision: Supervision for a staff person is delivered by individuals from more than one organization. This supervision might be delivered at the same time or separately; specific types of supervision might be split across organizational supervisors

Supportive environment

Clarify roles

3

Co-location: Employees from a partner organization work within another organization and are provided the same organizational resources/supports as other employees (e.g., desk, building access) to facilitate intentional interaction, and communication among staff within and across organizations. Co-location is considered the foundation that helps move toward more seamless coordination and integration

Promote interactions

Service coordination

Fidelity (overall)

–

Function: promote service access (administrative collaboration)

Actors: agency leaders, supervisors

4

Referral protocols: Supervisors and other agency leaders develop and carry out agreed-upon procedures for referring clients for services at another external organization. There may or may not be a formal written agreement between the two organizations

Clarify workflows

Referrals

Compatibility

Fidelity (access)

Appropriateness

Timeliness (access)

Engagement

5

Expedited access agreements: An explicit and formal agreement between two organizations to provide services to one another’s' clients to implement a new model/program in a particular way, for a specified price/term, and/or other conditions

Function: align case plans (frontline collaboration)

Actors: supervisors, front-line clinicians, and caseworkers (with support from agency leaders)

6

Shared decision-making meetings: Joint meetings of all caseworkers, clinicians, staff, peer specialists, family members, and family supporters to discuss the case goals, progress, and plans for a family consistent with a new program/model. These meetings are intended to set objectives and align services for a family

Shared expectations

Promote interactions

Service coordination

Family engagement

Fidelity (overall)

Acceptability

Patient centeredness

7

Data sharing: Exchanging information about client case plans, service needs, progress, and completion to implement the new program/model. This can take multiple forms including formal reports shared regularly with partners, inputting data and using a shared data system intended for sharing case files, or more ad hoc information sharing about cases

Promote interactions