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Various human services are essential to meet families' and children's diverse, and often complex, needs. Although at-risk families are generally the focus of deliberations regarding human services, the needs of all families and children should be considered as effective systems are planned and implemented. For example, the most appropriate location in a community for assessment, coordination, and delivery of services may be a school, where all children -- not just those who are particularly at risk -- can be reached.
Families and children at risk often present a complex array of needs that can only be met by the provision of multiple services (Golden, 1992; Swick, 1992). It has been found that effective delivery of human and educational services improves the lives of families who are most vulnerable. However, it is generally agreed that the present fragmented social and health services systems are inadequate (Boyd et al., 1992; Kagan, 1991; Nelson & Pearson, 1991; Raack, Kunesh, & Shulman, 1992).
Not only the multiplicity of problems facing families, but also the interrelationships among the various settings -- home, school, and community, as well as public and private agencies -- affecting the well-being of children and their families are increasingly being recognized (Imel, 1992; Useem, 1991). Communities must collectively accept the challenge of developing prevention programs, as well as remediation and intervention programs, to effectively meet the ever increasing needs of today's families. There are indications that the probability of meeting this "domestic challenge," as Kagan (1991) calls it, improves with collaboration (Thornburg, Hoffman, & Remeika, 1991; Useem, 1991).
National groups are currently discussing the potential of collaborative efforts, and communities around the country are attempting to form workable arrangements among various human service agencies. This article is a synthesis of the recommendations relating to collaboration made by 58 national panels, commissions, and task forces. The purpose of this article is to review the 70 recommendations that relate to collaboration made by these panels over the past five years, and offer some practical guidance for persons embarking upon collaborative endeavors. Additionally, literature that defines and outlines the necessity, composition, and function of collaboration is reviewed, and several case studies are given.
DEFINITION OF COLLABORATION
A common view of collaboration that is emerging in the literature differentiates among...