Interprofessional Collaboration

By Carolyn Johnson, M.Ed.
James Madison University

Interprofessional collaboration is quickly becoming a standard for “best practices” in the field of psychology, as well as in allied disciplines. In fact, interprofessional collaboration was named a core competency at Competencies 2002: Future directions in Education and Credentialing in Professional Psychology, a key conference in identifying and defining competencies for the practice of professional psychology. Several other professions, including nursing, social work, school counseling, community counseling, and medicine are also embracing interprofessional collaboration.

Why would a play therapist need to know about this model of service delivery? Consider the following example:

A mother makes an appointment at a community mental health clinic for her 6-year old son. He appears anxious, weepy, and clings to his mother. His mother appears overwhelmed and tired. She reports she also has a 13-year-old son who had been suspended from school for fighting on multiple occasions and a 15-year-old daughter who is pregnant. Her husband is alcoholic and the family has neither steady income nor health insurance.

As a helping professional, what do you do?

Although this example might seem atypical, it is not. Schools, health, and social service agencies are seeing increasing numbers of families and children with multiple and serious problems (Casey Foundation, 1999). Families with youth are facing issues such as drug and alcohol use, violence and crime, school failure, depression, eating disorders and teen suicide (Brabeck, Walsh, Kenny and Comilang, 1997). The complexity of current health needs has necessitated changes in the way services are delivered. Increasing numbers of agencies and professional are realizing that collaboration is required.

Interprofessional collaboration (IPC) offers a more comprehensive, efficient and effective way of addressing problems and training professional. It involves shared responsibility and integration of services in addressing mutual goals, as well ad the development and maintenance of trust (IPEC 2001). It also involves different disciplines undestanding and using one using one another's roles and expertise, learning from one another, communicating effectively, sharing resources, and planning together with families. The result is comprehensive service delivery that effectively meets the complex needs of children and families.

For more information on the practice and education of interprofessional collaboration, visit http://iccs.csumb.edu/html/community/stuart