Exploring Frontline Workers Perception of Interprofessional Collaboration Within Drug Courts in Norway

Perceptions of interprofessional collaboration at the intersection of child welfare and child and adolescent psychiatry in Germany

Facilitators and barriers to collaboration between drug courts and community-based medication for opioid use disorder providers

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments in Europe and the US almost universally implemented lockdown measures designed to force social distancing between individuals and thus flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections. Frontline and essential workers nevertheless continued leaving their home and going in to work. We investigate whether there are inequalities in Swedish COVID-19 mortality based on working in frontline occupations or the degree of exposure—measured through contact with others, physical proximity and exposure to disease and infection. Sweden provides a unique case study because it was the only Western country to not employ strong measures but instead rely on recommendations and widespread compliance of its population. We use data the Swedish authorities organized as an early release of all recorded COVID-19 deaths in Sweden up to May 7, 2020, which we link to administrative registers and occupational measures of exposure. Taxi and bus drivers had a higher risk of dying from COVID-19 than other workers, as did older individuals living with service workers. Our findings suggest however that these frontline workers and older individuals they live with are not at higher risk of dying from COVID-19 when adjusting the relationship for other individual characteristics. We also did not find evidence that being a frontline worker in terms of occupational exposure was linked to higher COVID-19 mortality. Our findings indicate no strong inequalities according to these occupational differences in Sweden and potentially other contexts that use a similar approach to managing COVID-19.

Interprofessional collaboration is necessary for handling the complex psychosocial needs of prisoners. This collaboration must be addressed to avoid high recidivism rates and the human and societal costs linked to them. Challenges are exacerbated by a linear approach to handling prisoners' problems, silo working between welfare agencies and professional boundaries between frontline workers. There are few adequate theoretical frameworks and tools to address these challenges in the prison context. The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions that frontline staff working in Norwegian prison facilities have regarding interprofessional collaboration in providing mental health services for prisoners. This study had a non-experimental, cross-sectional design to explore perceptions of interprofessional collaboration in a prison context. Descriptive and multifactorial analyses (exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis) were used to explore the data. The analysis showed that three factors, communication, organizational culture and domain, explained 95% of the variance. Results are discussed using relational coordination, as well as the conceptual PINCOM model, as a theoretical framework. Few studies explicitly explore collaboration between professionals in mental health and prison services despite its being a prerequisite to achieving sufficient services for prisoners. To our knowledge, this current study is one of the first in Norway to explore collaboration in a prison context by analysing quantitative data and focusing on frontline workers perception of the phenomenon.

The combination of punishment and treatment in drug courts to rehabilitate defendants reflects the expansion of coercive penal care in court settings. In the U.S, drug courts remain deeply controversial: whereas some scholars and policymakers advocate for their expansion based on recidivism and cost-benefit evaluations, others raise concerns regarding the use of legal coercion and punitive measures in therapeutic settings. In 2004, Chile became the first Latin American country to implement drug courts. Unlike the U.S. drug court model, drug courts in Chile are not allowed to impose jail sanctions on defendants, offering a more restricted setting to examine how treatment and penal supervision are merged. Using semi-structured interviews (N = 34), I explore how courtroom actors and case managers understand the core elements of drug courts and their potential punitive nature. The findings show that the implementation of drug courts by team members—embracing recovery beyond zero-abstinence goals and focusing on the defendant's voluntariness to remain in the program— reflects a more balanced form of coercive penal care. Importantly, team members recognize the potential net-widening effects associated with this drug court model. I conclude by discussing the need to reformulate the role of defendants’ agency and punitive measures in problem-solving courts.

Although there has been a proliferation of studies on the effectiveness of drug court programs, these studies are largely quantitative in nature. Little is known about the experiences of persons who participate in drug court. In this study, we aimed to fill this knowledge gap by exploring experiences of young adults who completed an adult drug court treatment program. Nine semi-structured interviews were conducted, typed into a word-processing program, and then entered into a data analysis software program. Using grounded theory strategies, analysis revealed several emergent themes, which are presented chronologically to provide a narrative of study participants' experiences before, during, and after the program. Findings provide insights on how participants perceive drug courts and experiences that might facilitate or impede completion of drug court programs. Our findings are particularly important for drug court professionals as they attempt to develop appropriate recommendations for best practices and new policy initiatives.

Purpose The purpose of this research is to considers the degree to which drug courts (DCs) in New South Wales (NSW) adhere to the ten key components (TKCs), which were developed by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals, as a model practice for implementing DCs. Design/methodology/approach This study relied upon semi-structured interviews conducted with 21 professionals who work in the DC field from NSW. The sample represented various stakeholders responsible for the delivery of drug court programs (DCPs) in NSW. A qualitative analysis was conducted, this analysis uncovered practices adopted by the DC that go beyond those that were standardised in the closed-ended questions but nevertheless fell within the TKCs. The qualitative analyses added weight to the results determined by the descriptive statistics. Findings The results confirm that DCs in NSW adhere to the TKCs that describe successful DCPs internationally. In spite of this, several key components accomplished higher adherence rates than others. What can be said is that over 60% of the component’s benchmarks achieved the 80% target determined by the writer. Research limitations/implications The key components that have lower adherence rates are anticipated and must not be interpreted as undesirable results. DCs are encouraged to modify their programme characteristics to ensure further adherence to the specified benchmarks. To this extent, high regard is given to the practices adopted and identified through the qualitative data analysis. Practical implications The recommendations made to DCs in NSW are consistent with implementing model DCPs as defined by the National Association of Drug Court Professionals in 1997. Originality/value The TKCs are fundamentally standards for implementation and open an opportunity for discussion and are open for opportunity and examination. In theory and practice, each DC may interpret and implement the TKCs differently. In this regard, there is value in gaining an appreciation of pw DCs are interpreting the TKCs and applying them. It is business as usual at DCs; however, this research has demonstrated that there is no lack of innovation when it comes to DC in NSW implementing the TKCs.

Digitalization has often been described as relentless waves washing over organizations, aiming to enhance efficiency and quality; however, beneath the surface, unintended consequences and new unexpected streams of work behavior can emerge within these organizations. This issue has gained traction in public administration research, with a surge in studies examining digitaliza-tion’s impact on frontline work. While some studies have identified unintended and invisible con-sequences, such as additional tasks introduced by new technologies, limited research has focused on how frontline workers modify their daily tasks not only to make the technologies function and their work more manageable, but also to maintain meaningfulness in their work amid rapid tech-nological advancements. This dissertation contributes to the ongoing scholarly debate on public sector digitalization and the transformation of street-level bureaucracy, delving into the often overlooked and unintended consequences of digitalization within public sector organizations from the frontline worker’s per-spective. The research explores how frontline workers navigate, adapt to, and proactively use new digital technologies, and how their actions subsequently shape the technologies and organizational structures with which they interact. The dissertation argues that many of these modification prac-tices are motivated by the pursuit of meaningfulness in work, as pervasive digitalization initiatives challenge existing key characteristics of frontline work. Acknowledging meaningfulness in work as an inherent human need not only explains some unintended uses of technology but has also proven essential for organizational well-being and outcomes. Thus, this dissertation argues that ensuring such meaningfulness is crucial for sustainable public sector digitalization. Empirically, the dissertation is based on qualitative fieldwork conducted at a Danish job center from August 2020 to March 2023. The research design includes a combination of methods to closely capture the frontline workers’ experiences and actions within their everyday work envi-ronment. The qualitative data includes document analysis, semi-structured interviews, informal interviews, participant observations, and time studies through shadowing. Conceptually, three the-oretical frameworks are combined to capture various aspects of frontline workers’ everyday work modification practices in their quest for meaning. First, coping theory from street-level theory helps in understanding how frontline workers manage new digitalization standards that are inter-twined with existing resource problems in public sector organizations. Second, job crafting theory illustrates how many modification actions are proactive, forming part of an ongoing effort to ensure meaningful work. Finally, insights from science and technology studies on the relationship between work, technologies, and time highlight the temporal dimensions of work modification. By integrating these theoretical perspectives, this dissertation provides a comprehensive under-standing of digitalization and frontline workers’ work modification practices, capturing both re-active and proactive responses to digitalization and considering temporal factors, which have of-ten been overlooked but are essential for exploring supposedly timesaving technologies in prac-tice. In conclusion, based on these insights, this dissertation highlights challenges to be aware of when implementing new technologies and critical considerations to be made when new frontline skills are emerging, including flexible management of information, time, and digital tools.

Public child welfare agencies experience front line worker turnover rates as high as 25% a year. Worker turnover has significant financial costs to agencies, and has been linked to negative outcomes for children in care. Prior research has linked organizational factors, such as organizational climate, culture, and supervisor satisfaction, to turnover intent in child welfare populations. This research uses an empowerment framework to turn to workers directly to answer the question, "What are the organizational factors that lead frontline child welfare workers to stay or leave the agency, and what, then, are the implications for agency administrators?" This study relies upon secondary data of a workforce study conducted by the Child Welfare Partnership at Portland State University's School of Social Work. The data was collected via a pilot internet survey of approximately 400 State-employed Oregon child welfare case workers across all geographic regions in the state, and focuses on workers who plan to leave for preventable reasons. This study explored links between organizational factors and turnover in a sample of Oregon public child welfare workers. This research finds that climate, culture, supervision, and knowledge of the job prior to hire are all significantly correlated with intent to leave. Climate is most significantly correlated to Intent to Leave, and explains 25% of the variance in intent to leave in a regression model. These research findings suggest that agency administrators who are interested in improving worker retention can monitor and address local culture and climate as one tool for increasing workforce stability. Retention may be improved by maintaining an organizational culture and climate that is empowering to workers and that encourages workers to be a part of the change process. Additional implications for the child welfare workforce, social work research, and social work education are discussed.

Despite investment in maternal-child health programs, there has been little impact on the health outcomes of Indigenous mothers and their children, creating a need to understand how programs can be successfully implemented. Community input is essential for successful programs; however, there is little research exploring the perspectives of frontline workers providing these programs. To gain a better understanding of how to support maternal-child health program success a research partnership was formed with the KidsFirst North program in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada. Using a community-based participatory research approach, this study was codeveloped to (1) explore families', frontline workers', and administrators' perceptions of factors that contribute to the success and barriers of a program for Indigenous families; and (2) describe the current role of frontline workers within health program planning, implementation, and evaluation. From September 2019 to January 2020, data were collected through in-person meetings, focus groups, and semi-structured interviews with KidsFirst North families (n=9), frontline workers (n=18), and administrators (n=7) from 11 sites in Northern Saskatchewan. Data were analyzed using the Collective Consensual Data Analytic Procedure. The identified factors of program success included the importance of staff, where staff demonstrated certain positive characteristics and created a welcoming atmosphere for families; community events that were open to the entire community; and the integration of Indigenous culture in the program. Program barriers included jurisdictional policy that negatively impacted frontline workers, a lack of father inclusion in program activities, and community challenges such as a lack of access to other services within the community. All frontline workers had a role in program delivery, most reported involvement in program development and planning, and approximately half were included in program evaluation. Factors of success and barriers from the KidsFirst North project have illustrated elements to build on and areas to address in public health program planning, implementation, and evaluation of maternal-child health programs that serve Indigenous families. KidsFirst North has demonstrated ways a contemporary maternal-child health program can utilize frontline workers outside of program delivery to influence all aspects of health program planning, implementation, and evaluation. Contributing to the evidence base of maternal-child health programs for Indigenous families may help foster the success of public health programs; inform the role of frontline workers in health program planning, implementation, and evaluation; and positively impact the health of Indigenous children and families.

The Norwegian Correctional Service is well known for its focus on rehabilitation and the humane treatment of offenders. However, welfare issues and comorbidity are overrepresented among offenders, and recidivism rates remain unacceptably high. Mental health problems, substance abuse and a lack of housing suggest that offenders need support from a range of services in their reintegration processes. This calls for collaboration between frontline workers, welfare agencies and non-governmental organizations, especially in the transition from prison back into society. In the present study, we aim to explore frontline workers’ views of interprofessional and interagency collaboration among frontline workers working with offenders suffering from substance abuse issues in their reintegration after prison. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine frontline workers employed in welfare agencies and the correctional service, with workers directly engaged in supporting offenders´ reintegration after prison. Findings suggest that interprofessional collaboration is perceived as multifaceted. The participants in the study perceived the welfare needs of offenders as complex, and the transition phase from prison as particularly vulnerable. Finally, findings suggest that frontline workers’ individual values and engagement in the work, as well as a lack of shared knowledge and shared information among frontline workers, are perceived as important factors in how collaboration processes unfold. We further argue that there is a need for additional knowledge, such as theoretical frameworks and conceptual models, to increase the understanding of interprofessional collaboration in the interface between prison and welfare services. We discuss substance abusers’ transition from prison into society and interprofessional collaboration in this context, using relational coordination as a theoretical framework. This study shows that relational coordination contributes to a greater understanding of interprofessional collaboration in the prison-welfare context, but an understanding of this phenomenon may be further developed by expanding the theory of relational collaboration, and by using other relevant theories and models. New insights are presented and illustrated, combining the theoretical and practical aspects of interprofessional collaboration.

ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the perception of health professions faculty towards interprofessional collaboration and to analyze how these perceptions are linked with their profession and prior professional experiences. MethodsThis study includes a convenience sample of 90 professionals who enrolled in a fellowship programme that focused on leadership competencies in interprofessional education. The perception of the Interprofessional Collaboration Model Questionnaire (PINCOM-Q) was used for data collection. The Chi-square test for independence was used to explore the relationship between profession and perception. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare between the groups. ResultsThe response rate was 90%, with the majority of the participants being women (n = 49, 54.4%). The mean age was 42.16 ± 5.88 years (Range = 31–55 years). The most prominent constructs of collaboration perceived by the participants were: motivation, group leadership, and organisational culture. A difference in the perception based on age, years of experience, prior experience of working in interprofessional teams, and profession was observed. The Pearson correlation between construct averages was statistically significant (p ≤ 0.001) between: individuals and groups, r = 0.493; individuals and organisation, r = 0.418; and group and organisation, r = 0.683. ConclusionThe present study revealed that the perception of health professions faculty towards interprofessional collaboration differs in relation to their gender, age, professional qualification, working experience, professional background, and past experience with the interprofessional team. The study highlights the need to consider these factors while working with interprofessional teams.

Collaborations between drug courts and service providers: Characteristics and challenges

Drug treatment courts and police diversion programs are designed to divert people away from incarceration and into drug treatment. This article explores barriers in linking people who use drugs (PWUD) into drug treatment facilities in urban, suburban, and rural areas of Connecticut, Kentucky, and Wisconsin. Between December 2018 and March 2020, study teams in the three states conducted in-depth, semistructured interviews with key informants involved in programs to divert PWUD from criminal justice involvement including police, lawyers, judges, and others who work in drug treatment courts, and substance use disorder treatment providers who received referrals from and worked with police diversion programs or drug courts. Police diversion programs and drug treatment courts showed intraprogram variation in the structure of their programs in the three states and in different counties within the states. Structural barriers to successfully linking PWUD to treatment included a lack of resources, for example, a limited number of treatment facilities available, difficulties in funding mandated treatment, particularly in Wisconsin where Medicaid expansion has not occurred, and PWUDs' need for additional services such as housing. Many police officers, judges, and others within drug treatment court, including drug treatment specialists, hold stigmatizing attitudes toward medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) and are unlikely to recommend or actively refer to MOUD treatment. Drug courts and police diversion programs offer a welcome shift from prior emphases on criminalization of drug use. However, for such programs to be effective, more resources must be dedicated to their success. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Recent UK welfare reforms have been less successful than expected by the Government in supporting unemployed people with long-term illness into work. Frontline workers remain a core element of the new welfare-to-work machinery, but operate within a changed organisational and policy landscape. These changes raise important questions regarding whether and how claimants' health-related barriers to work are considered. This paper examines the UK welfare-to-work frontline worker's role with claimants who have long-term illness. Fieldwork observations in three not-for-profit employment support services and semi-structured interviews with 29 participants (claimants, frontline workers, healthcare professionals and managers) were conducted between 2011 and 2012. Participant observation of the wider welfare-to-work arena was initiated in 2009 and continued until 2013. A qualitative methodology drawing on ethnographic principles was adopted. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out. The findings show that the frontline worker plays a key role in assessing and addressing claimants' health-related barriers to work. Two important health-related role dimensions were identified: a health promoter role which involved giving health promotional advice to claimants about their general health; and a health monitor role which involved observing and questioning claimants about their general health. Frontline workers' practice approaches were shaped by organisational and individual factors. Integration between the National Health Service and employment support services was limited, and the findings suggested improvements were required to ensure an adequate response to claimants' health-related needs to support their journey into work.