Interagency collaboration in Virginia: services for the handicapped learner

In the last five years federal attention has addressed the provision of services to handicapped learners through interagency collaboration. This has been one result of The Education for All Handicapped Children Act and guidelines delineated by the Education Division General Administrative Regulations.

The literature is replete with information regarding interorganizational relationships, programmatic models and evaluation studies relative to other service areas. Few studies have examined special education 1 s involvement in the interagency arena.

The purposes of this study were to identify: (1) decision points utilized in developing collaborative efforts; (2) problems encountered during the developmental and operational phases; and, (3) solutions and resources utilized to overcome these difficulties. Other information as it related to the developmental process also was obtained.

Three data collection strategies were used: (1) state agency interviews; (2) local agency interviews; and (3) state-wide mailed survey. Interviews were conducted by the researcher with state and local representatives from Special Education, Corrections/Juvenile Courts, Rehabilitation, Mental Health/Mental Retardation, Health and Social Services. Survey instruments were sent to area, regional and local agency offices throughout the state.

The data revealed that certain steps were used in planning a collaborative effort. The steps were: (1) determining need; (2) defining the population; (3) identifying and contacting agencies serving the target population(s); (4) defining program policies and service responsibilities; and, (5) comparing programs to identify gaps and overlaps. The data indicated that problems of communication, territorial ownership, funding and lack of clearly defined roles and responsibilities were present during both the developmental and operational phases of collaborative programming. Resolution strategies which were identified as being used most often by respondents were negotiation and persistent communication; resources included the individuals involved in the difficulties or other staff members as was necessary to resolve tHe problem(s).

Other related findings confirmed information obtained through testimony and found in the literature relative to the ties which keep agencies working together and the driving and restraining forces to interagency collaborative programming. The data also indicated that respondents consider multiple agency delivery of services as being efficient, effective and generally successful in providing services for handicapped learners. Finally, recommendations for interagency collaborative programming were offered by state and local interviewees.

It was concluded that interagency collaboration was not a well defined process. The lack of evaluation procedures contributed not only to the lack of definition but to the continual resurfacing· of develop- mental and operational problems. Finally, the solutions and resources utilized to solve the problems were not always appropriate or sufficient to resolve the difficulties. Thus, it was recommended that state and local personnel be inserviced on: (1) the service requirements and responsibilities governing their respective agencies; (2) the summative and formative aspects of interagency collaborative programming; and, (3) conflict management, problem resolution and use of a third party as problem solving techniques. Finally, it was recommended that state agencies jointly develop, disseminate and inservice local personnel on the procedures and steps necessary to developing and operating an interagency collaborative effort.