Evaluation of a Training Curriculum for Inter-Agency Collaboration

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper reports the activities and outcomes of one university based training project which provided a five-day training series on inter-agency collaboration for public child welfare workers and staff in the fields of substance abuse, mental health, and domestic violence, and summarizes lessons learned in the project. The overarching goal of this program was the development of a cadre of child welfare practitioners and community professionals who have the ability to respond effectively to complex family problems of child abuse and neglect resulting from substance abuse, mental illness, and domestic violence. A quasi-experimental design utilizing pre-and post measures was used to test the impact of interdisciplinary training. The evaluation shows gains in trainee knowledge, positive attitudes toward collaboration, and the trainees reported more collaboration in their own practice between the pre-and post tests that was sustained in a follow-up. The implications of these findings for administrative and community practice are discussed.