In this document, we discuss ten system linkage elements that child welfare, substance abuse treatment, and juvenile court dependency systems, as well as other agencies and providers working with these systems, should use to collaborate with one another. We define ―collaborative practice as the use of these ten system linkage elements by two or more systems, agencies, or providers to improve child and family outcomes. The purpose of this document is to define and
provide examples of collaborative practice in each of the ten system linkage elements. State and community collaborative groups can use this information to guide their own efforts to implement collaborative practice in their own communities.
