Building full-service schools: Lessons learned in the development of interagency collaboratives

Although the history of clinical-school-community collaboration can be trac ed back to the end of the 19th century, the full-service school movement re presents a new era in the quest for more effective ways to deliver human se rvices to children. Building on the personal experience of the authors and the literature concerning the development of integrated service delivery sy stems, this article outlines conceptual, administrative, fiscal, legal-ethi cal and practical issues that can hinder local efforts to develop full-serv ice schools. The systematic analysis of potentially negative influences is presented as something that must be pursued by educational and psychologica l consultants so that, as the next millennium begins, they will be in a pos ition to help local working groups develop interagency collaboratives that more effectively integrate school and human service systems, increase servi ce use, and promote positive developmental outcomes for children living in high-risk situations.