Collaborative mental health treatment: current practices among mental health providers in Norway

The objective of this study is to examine the frequency of collaboration among mental health providers´ and assess perceptions of whether collaborative practices have an impact on the help that patients receive during treatment. This is a cross-sectional study comprising 201 mental health providers recruited from municipal mental health services and specialised clinics across Norway. Participants were asked about their attitudes toward collaborative practices, routines, and beliefs about collaborative mental health care. Regression analyses suggest that frequent contact with social services predicts more perceived adequate psychosocial and socioeconomic help by discharge from the perspective of mental health providers. In addition, results demonstrated a varying degree of frequency and type of collaborative practices. Mental health providers most frequently engage with general practitioners, and least frequently with volunteer services. There are substantial variations in when mental health providers are contacted by external service providers, and when they themselves initiate contact, which may be influenced by a range of factors and vary depending on their professional background and area of service The importance of strengthening collaborative care in mental health treatment and social services is highlighted to tackle overlapping challenges such as financial problems, unemployment, and mental illness.