Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Challenge and Opportunity: A Service Integration Model to Build, Modify and Sustain Programs and Services for Children and Families Dawn Ganje Consultant, Marketing Management Colleen MacRae Coordinator, Polk County Collaborative September 29, 2006

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Collaboration Collaboration….. 1: to work joint with others in an intellectual endeavor 2: to cooperate with or willingly assist an enemy of one’s country 3: to cooperate with an agency or instrumentality with which one is not immediately connected

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 What is the NW MN Council of Collaboratives?  45 Member Agencies 20 School Districts, Special Education Districts, Community Action Programs, Community Corrections, County Government, Mental Health, Human Services, Law Enforcement, and Public Health agencies Mission Statement….. The Northwest Minnesota Council of Collaboratives is a coalition of public and private agencies working together to improve the lives of children and families in northwest Minnesota.

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  Geographic service area is 6,127 square miles of Northwestern Minnesota  Population density average is 9.2 people per square mile  Declining population due to fewer employment opportunities and smaller family size  Decline in small businesses with resulting longer distances to big retail centers  High elderly population  Natural Disasters - Red River Valley Flooding of 1997, 2002 and portions annually  Increase in methamphetamine production and usage Context in Which We Deliver Services

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  Distances covered to access services  Lack of public transportation  Misperceptions of rural living  Dependence on use of technology which is not always reliable/cost effective  Community perceptions/acceptability of utilizing services  Ability to hire/retain qualified professionals  Mobility of residents  Weather Challenges to Service Delivery in Rural Areas

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  What event (tragic or magic) naturally brings stakeholders together?  Take the lead: identify the center of community  Assess which partner(s) needs to be at the table and start the conversation  “When a problem extends beyond the boundaries of a single organization and involves others, solutions require activity across – and on the edge of – the organizational boundaries.” L.K. Bradshaw Catalyst for Change

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  Engage leaders  Identify rules of engagement (set ground rules and expectations)  Eliminate barriers to participation  Begin developing a plan Define a vision, focus and purpose for coming together “To a Leader, the needs of the future take precedence over the demands of the present.” - Carl Neu

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Management Structure

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Communicate  Regular Meetings  Coordination of Effort  Enhanced communications  Teleconferencing  Relationships beyond our region  

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  Collaboration/partnership development  Website development and usage  Use of incentive programs for qualified professionals  Distance Learning  Localized trainings  Utilizing Federal, State and Foundation technical assistance and materials  Business and faith-based sponsorships  Integrated Systems of Care  Regionalization and localization of Service Delivery  Increased cultural competency  Multiple roles Strategies

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  Do your homework to find out about the “culture” of your proposed partners  Identify commonalities in vision  Identify similarities and dissimilarities in business approach  Speak the same language Culturally Competent

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  Identify gaps, resources, needs  Determine where duplication of effort occurs  Plan ways to streamline activities  Develop goals, activities and outcomes  Identify strategies to carry out the work  Develop a work-plan that accurately reflects strategies, timelines, people responsible, indicators of success Resource Mapping

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Utilize local and national resource on best practices  Conduct web and literary searches for best-practices and promising practices  Ask questions  Learn from those who have been through similar experiences

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate  Work with an independent evaluator  Develop a logic model that measures process and outcomes  Report findings in a format applicable for a variety of stakeholders  Take further action, as necessary

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Share the Challenges  A wounded partner is a partner in need  Share in the risks  Address a community-wide response

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Succession Planning  Plan  Recruit  Interview  Select  Orientation

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006  Celebrate the opportunities  Celebrate the milestones  Celebrate the mistakes  Celebrate the accomplishments Celebrate!

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Developing partnerships throughout a community: supporting key stakeholders including schools, law enforcement, public health, mental health, corrections, social-services, community action programs, government, children and families for immediate and long-term benefits.  Find a catalyst that calls your leaders to action  Identify community and stakeholders within that community  Define a vision, focus and purpose for coming together  Clarify rules of engagement  Be culturally competent  Employ resource mapping for assessment and strategic planning purposes  Utilize national resources  Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate  Share in the challenges  Celebrate the opportunities, milestones and accomplishments

Dawn Ganje, Marketing Management and Colleen MacRae, Polk County Collaborative – MACMH September 2006 Contact Information Colleen MacRae Polk County Collaborative Dawn Ganje Marketing Management