Parent/Professional Perceptions of Collaboration When Viewed in the Context of Virginia's Comprehensive Services Act System of Care

Abstract

In 1992,Virginia created a system of care that was designed to address the needs of troubled youth and their families. Known as the Comprehensive Services Act, the legislation mandated that family and service system interactions were intended to be child-centered, family-focused, and collaborative in nature. Whether at the assessment, planning, implementation, or evaluation phase of a family's individualized service plan unfolding, strong collaborative linkages between families and professionals were encouraged. The present study focuses on determining perceptions of collaborative experiences from the point of view of parents of emotionally disturbed children who have been served by the system of care's Family Assessment and Planning Team, and the perceptions of experiences of professionals who comprise that team. In addition, the study will attempt to show a relationship between a parent's collaborative experiences and a child's treatment outcome.

Data suggest that differences exist between parents and professionals in their perceptions of collaborative experiences during the FAPT process, and that the group to which one belongs is a determining factor in shaping those perceptions. Secondly, no statistically significant relationship was found between parent perceptions of collaborative experiences and treatment outcomes of their children.

[App. C and D removed per Dean DePauw, 3/28/2014, GMc]