Interpersonal process features of collaboration between probation and behavioral health practitioners.

This study sought to identify and conceptualize the central interpersonal process features that comprise good collaboration between behavioral health practitioners (BHPs) and probation officers (POs). Eighteen POs and 21 BHPs from geographically adjacent jurisdictions in a Midwestern state each participated in one of six focus groups. Researchers systematically coded focus group transcripts for interpersonal collaborative themes using both inductive and deductive strategies. Seven core themes-shared values and beliefs, communication and information sharing, knowledge of the other, trust, respect, team-based decision making, and equitable contribution-were identified and coded for importance, as indexed by frequency, latent tone, and group consensus. An initial working operational definition of these constructs, based on practitioners' dialogue, is also provided. This study is one of the first to provide BHPs and POs who work with justice-involved people with prescriptive guidance about interpersonal actions and approaches that will best serve their professional collaborative efforts. Future research should examine whether these constructs hold across other samples and contexts and work to fully operationalize and measure these constructs and their importance for affecting various outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Communication and collaboration in a drug court team.

A multidisciplinary team is a hallmark feature of drug courts and other specialized treatment dockets. Comprised primarily of practitioners from the criminal legal system and mental health and addictions services treatment systems, team members exchange information and engage in shared decision-making. Though practitioners in these contexts have some guidance regarding organizational and structural elements needed to facilitate efficient and effective communication and collaboration, less is known about the role individual team members' actions and behaviors play in this process. Using data from a survey, process evaluation, and qualitative interviews administered to 19 members of a single drug court team in a Midwestern urban setting, this study describes several communication and collaboration practices of drug court team members and explores how they may contribute to the general effectiveness of the drug court. This study underscores the potential utility of operationalizing and measuring day-to-day, individual-level communication and collaboration practices in future studies of drug court process, in order to index drug court team dynamics that may contribute to its effectiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).