Abstract
Youth care is increasingly organized in an integrated manner. In integrated health care, the services are provided over several professionals, organizations, and sectors. However, integration is a complex process. In order to integrate care, actors involved must institutionalize integrated working and thinking methods. This study examines the institutionalization process of integrated youth care and what barriers could be identified. A qualitative case study was done on a local youth care network in the Netherlands. 17 semi- structured interviews were conducted with various actors from the case study. In addition, a document analysis was done. We identified several regulative, normative, and cognitive barriers, that show that integration does not always take place. Our study reveals differences in whether those involved say that they consider integration important, or whether they actually think and act in an integrated manner. We therefore concluded that cognitive institutionalization is still insufficient.
Evidence for Practice
Keywords: Integrated care, institutionalization, local youth care network, barriers
Citation: Veldkamp, I. & Zonneveld, N. (2022). Institutionalization of integrated youth care. What are the barriers and how to move forward?. Public Note, 10(1), 16-24.
Youth care is increasingly organized in an integrated manner. In integrated health care, the services are provided over several professionals, organizations, and sectors. However, integration is a complex process. In order to integrate care, actors involved must institutionalize integrated working and thinking methods. This study examines the institutionalization process of integrated youth care and what barriers could be identified. A qualitative case study was done on a local youth care network in the Netherlands. 17 semi- structured interviews were conducted with various actors from the case study. In addition, a document analysis was done. We identified several regulative, normative, and cognitive barriers, that show that integration does not always take place. Our study reveals differences in whether those involved say that they consider integration important, or whether they actually think and act in an integrated manner. We therefore concluded that cognitive institutionalization is still insufficient.
Evidence for Practice
- Integrated care should be approached as a complex, non-linear and long-term process of system change, and not as a project.
- More attention needs to be paid to cultural embedding within the organizations themselves.
- Regulative facilitators are important to structure the integrated provision of care and needs to be aligned.
Keywords: Integrated care, institutionalization, local youth care network, barriers
Citation: Veldkamp, I. & Zonneveld, N. (2022). Institutionalization of integrated youth care. What are the barriers and how to move forward?. Public Note, 10(1), 16-24.

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About the authors
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