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Building Collaborative Capacity

To improve outcomes for families affected by trauma, substance use, and mental health disorders, collaboration among child welfare, substance use and mental disorder treatment, court, health care systems, and community organizations is essential. Explore the resources below to learn more.

Highlighted Resource

Collaborating Across Service Systems: How to Develop a Comprehensive Data Approach for Families Affected by Prenatal Substance E...

Brief 1: State Data Collection and Reporting Approaches for Infants and Families Affected by Prenatal Substance Exposure

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare, 2024

This two-part series is designed for state child welfare and partner agencies (e.g., public health, maternal and child health, substance

...(Read More)

Policy and Practice Resources

Collaborating Across Service Systems: How to Develop a Comprehensive Data Approach for Families Affected by...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2024

This two-part series is designed for state child welfare and partner agencies (e.g., public health, maternal and child health, substance

... (Read More)

Building Hope for Families Affected by Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders: A Blueprint for an Effect...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2023

This series describes concrete strategies collaboratives can use to enhance the system of care while improving outcomes for families

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Comprehensive Framework to Improve Outcomes for Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders and Child Welf...

Center for Children and Family Futures, 2021

Offers a set of proven policy and practice collaborative-based strategies to improve

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Sustainability Planning Toolkit - Five Steps to Build a Sustainability Plan for Systems Change

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2021

Provides collaboratives, organizations, and programs with the tools needed for

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Building Collaborative Capacity Series: How to Develop Cross Systems Teams and Implement Collaborative Prac...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2021

Provides states and communities with strategies to create cross-systems collaborative teams, communication protocols, and practice

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Sustainability Planning for Regional Partnerships Technical Assistance Brief

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2020

Presents detailed steps grantees can take to begin sustainability planning. Offers a

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Child Welfare Timeline for SUD Treatment and Other Partners Technical Assistance Brief

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2020

Presents three key strategies that agencies can use to strengthen collaboration

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Collaborative Values Inventory

Center for Children and Family Futures, 2017

Many methods exist to assess collaborative values. Many jurisdictions use the

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A Collaborative Approach to the Treatment of Pregnant Women With Opioid Use Disorders: Practice and Policy ...

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2016

Provides information on the extent of opioid use by pregnant women as well as the

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Facilitating Cross-System Collaboration: A Primer on Child Welfare, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, and Co...

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2012

Provides information about the operational characteristics of each system involved

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Screening and Assessment for Family Engagement, Retention, and Recovery (SAFERR)

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2006

SAFERR is a collaborative model that helps child welfare professionals, substance use

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Related Online Training, Videos, and Webinars

Improving Systems through Collaboration: Top Down or Bottom Up? Both!

Date: July 14, 2022

Features NCSACW staff along with professionals from two of NCSACW’s specialized technical assistance programs: In-Depth Technical

...(Read More)

State and Local Examples

Data Capacity: What Is It and Does Our Family Treatment Court Team Have It?

Children and Family Futures, 2021

Describes how FTC teams can assess their cross-systems data capacity, use their data

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Advancing a Family-Centered Approach: Lessons from the Prevention and Family Recovery Initiative

Children and Family Futures, 2021

Prevention and Family Recovery (PFR), funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

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Guiding Principles for Establishing a Family-Centered Approach in Family Treatment Courts and Beyond

Children and Family Futures, 2021

Provides guiding principles that help operationalize a family-centered approach. This

... (Read More)

Collaboration Pathways for Infants and Families Affected by Substance Use Disorders: Lessons from New Jerse...

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child..., 2019

Highlights New Jersey’s progress, achievements, and barriers while engaging with

... (Read More)

Vermont Children and Recovering Mothers (CHARM) Collaborative, Appendix 5, A Collaborative Approach to the ...

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A..., 2016

An innovative program serving women involved with child protective services (CPS) who

... (Read More)

Ohio Maternal Opiates Medical Support Program

Ohio Department of Medicaid and Ohio Mental ...

Describes guidelines and best practices for establishing a maternal care home for

... (Read More)

Additional Resources

Walking on Common Ground: Resources for Promoting and Facilitating Tribal State Federal Collaborations

Tribal Law and Policy Institute, 2019

Ongoing initiative to promote collaboration and education among Tribal, state, and

... (Read More)

Substance Abuse Confidentiality Regulations

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services A...

42 CFR Part 2 (Part 2), established in 1975, examines concerns about the potential

... (Read More)

Find Help with a Personal Situation

Substance Use and Mental Health Treatment Locator

To find treatment facilities confidentially, 24/7, please call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP).

To locate general treatment services, visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Treatment Locator online or call 1-800-662-4357 (HELP). This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. It is a free, confidential, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a year information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members needing treatment for a mental and/or substance use disorder.

National Child Abuse Hotline

If you suspect a child has been harmed by abuse or neglect, please call 1-800-422-4453.

If you suspect that a child has been harmed or is at risk of being harmed by abuse or neglect, call the National Child Abuse Hotline at Call the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453. Serving the United States and Canada, the hotline is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with professional crisis counselors who—through interpreters—provide assistance in over 170 languages. All calls, texts, and chats are confidential. If you believe a child is in immediate danger of harm, call 911 first.

National Suicide Prevention Line

For free and confidential support for people in distress, 24/7, please call or text 988, chat 988Lifeline.org, or call 1-800-273-8255.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide or experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis, help is available and there are options to receive compassionate care. You can call or text 988 or chat 988Lifeline.org. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). Both are confidential and available 24/7 to everyone in the United States and will connect you to a trained counselor at a suicide crisis center nearest you.

Contact Us

The National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare offers free technical assistance to a variety of systems on making policy and practice changes to improve outcomes for families affected by substance use disorders and involvement with child welfare services. To learn more about technical assistance services or if you have a question please email NCSACW at ncsacw@cffutures.org or call toll-free at 1–866–493–2758.

National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare