toolkit
Multi-Agency Coordination Toolkit
A toolkit for shelters, advocacy groups, hospitals, and service agencies to streamline domestic violence response coordination.
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TOOLKITS
Multi-Agency Coordination Toolkit
Communication Workflows
Effective communication workflows reduce duplication, delay, and conflicting information across domestic violence service systems. The models below can be adapted for coalitions, coordinated community response teams, or multi-agency initiatives.
Core Components of a Shared Workflow
- Defined contact points: One primary and one backup contact per agency (name, role, phone, secure email, after-hours process).
- Channel hierarchy: Clear tiers for when to use email, secure messaging platforms, phone, and scheduled meetings.
- Time expectations: Agreed response windows for routine, urgent, and time-sensitive coordination tasks.
- Documentation standards: Minimum information to log for each inter-agency contact, including date, time, purpose, and outcomes.
- Escalation paths: Steps for moving an issue from frontline to supervisory to leadership levels when needed.
Sample Day-to-Day Communication Flow
- Routine coordination: Use secure email or case management platform messaging with 2–3 business day response expectations.
- Time-sensitive scheduling or service access: Phone calls or secure messaging with same-day acknowledgment expectations.
- Policy or program clarification: Directed to designated liaisons via email; responses discussed in regular coordination meetings if cross-cutting.
- System problems (e.g., recurring delays, unclear roles): Documented by staff and routed to agency leads for agenda placement in inter-agency meetings.
Communication Workflow Mapping
Agencies can undertake periodic mapping exercises to visualize coordination flows.
- Identify common starting points (e.g., hotline intake, law enforcement contact, hospital social work, court-based services).
- Map decision points (e.g., criteria for referral to shelter, legal assistance, advocacy, or child welfare partners).
- Define standard information packets that move with each referral (see “Inter-Agency Referrals” below).
- Clarify which agency holds “coordination lead” status in each scenario, and when that lead may shift.
Shared workflow diagrams can be maintained as living documents and reviewed at least annually or when there are major policy, staffing, or system changes.
Inter-Agency Referrals
Inter-agency referrals benefit from standardized formats, eligibility clarity, and consistent follow-up. The focus is on operational alignment rather than service content.
Standard Referral Elements
- Referring agency details: Agency name, staff contact, contact information, date and time of referral.
- Receiving agency details: Specific program or unit, preferred contact channel, eligibility notes.
- Purpose of referral: Clear, brief description of requested service or coordination function.
- Information basis: Whether information was obtained from direct client interview, administrative records, or partner agency documentation.
- Time sensitivity: Indication of standard, priority, or urgent timelines consistent with agreed partnership parameters.
Referral Pathway Options
- Direct handoff: The referring agency initiates contact with the receiving agency and transfers relevant information under established agreements.
- Warm linkage: Referral occurs with both agencies and, where applicable, the client present (e.g., conference call) to clarify roles and next steps.
- Coordinated triage: Central triage or coordination hubs route referrals to appropriate partners based on shared criteria and capacity.
- Embedded partner model: Staff from one agency are co-located or virtually embedded in another’s setting to streamline internal referrals.
Referral Tracking Practices
- Assign reference IDs to referrals for cross-agency tracking, where consistent with privacy and data-sharing agreements.
- Log referral outcomes (accepted, pending, declined, waitlisted) with standardized codes.
- Set timeframes for feedback from the receiving agency on referral status (e.g., 3–5 business days for non-urgent referrals).
- Aggregate referral data regularly to identify common gaps, misdirected referrals, or resource constraints.
Multi-agency agreements can specify minimum data points for referrals and mutually acceptable methods for confirming receipt and disposition.
Data Consistency Checklist
Consistency in data fields and definitions supports meaningful coordination, reporting, and system-level analysis without requiring identical systems. Agencies can use this checklist as a basis for local adaptation.
Core Data Fields for Cross-Agency Alignment
- Unique, non-identifying case identifier: Enables linkage where permitted, without over-reliance on personally identifying information.
- Agency/program codes: Common naming conventions for participating entities and specific programs.
- Service episode dates: Standard formats for intake, referral, service start, and service closure.
- Interaction type: Consistent coding for phone, in-person, virtual, outreach, or other contact types.
- Referral pathways: Unified codes for who referred (e.g., law enforcement, court, healthcare, community-based organization).
Definitions and Coding Standards
- Align definitions of “active case,” “closed case,” and “inactive/monitoring status.”
- Develop shared outcome and output indicators where feasible (e.g., number of coordination contacts, inter-agency case conferences held).
- Use a shared reference table for key categories (housing status, case status, service modality) even if internal systems use additional subcodes.
- Document all data definitions in a jointly maintained data dictionary that is updated with version control.
Data Quality and Validation Checks
- Routine cross-checks for missing required fields in inter-agency referrals.
- Validation of date ranges (e.g., service start not earlier than intake date).
- Monitoring for duplicate case entries across coordinated programs where linkage is permitted.
- Periodic joint review of anomalous patterns (e.g., unusually high “unknown” categories in certain fields).
Data consistency efforts should operate within applicable privacy, confidentiality, and data protection requirements. Agencies can reference broader coordination resources, including those hosted at DV.Support, for ecosystem-level considerations.
Crisis Coordination Protocols
Crisis coordination protocols clarify roles, thresholds, and processes among agencies when situations require rapid, multi-party response. The emphasis is on inter-agency operations, not on crisis service content.
Protocol Design Elements
- Activation criteria: Shared definitions for what constitutes a “crisis coordination event” requiring multi-agency action.
- Lead agency designation: Pre-agreed criteria for which agency leads coordination in specific types of events.
- Notification sequence: Order and timeframe by which partners are informed once a crisis coordination event is identified.
- Communication mode: Preferred channels during active coordination (e.g., phone, secure group messaging, virtual meeting rooms).
- Documentation practices: Minimum notes to be recorded by the lead and supporting agencies during and immediately after the event.
Sample Multi-Agency Crisis Coordination Flow
- Frontline staff identifies an event meeting agreed activation criteria.
- Lead agency is contacted using on-call or designated point-of-contact procedures.
- Lead agency initiates a short coordination huddle (call or virtual meeting) with relevant partners.
- Roles, time-limited action items, and time for next check-in are confirmed.
- Lead agency logs decisions and sends a brief summary to involved partners using secure channels.
After-Action Reviews
- Schedule a structured debrief within a defined timeframe after significant coordination events.
- Use a standard template that captures what worked well, barriers, timing challenges, and data/documentation gaps.
- Identify specific protocol updates, training needs, or resource requirements that emerged.
- Track follow-through on identified improvements across all participating agencies.
Crisis coordination documents can be maintained separately from routine procedures, with clear cross-references to on-call rosters, contact lists, and escalation pathways.
Regular Meeting Structure
Regular multi-agency meetings sustain coordination, allow for course corrections, and support continuous system improvement. Consistent structure improves utility and participation.
Meeting Types
- Strategic coordination meetings: Quarterly or biannual; focus on policies, system performance, and partnership agreements.
- Operational case coordination meetings: Monthly or biweekly; address patterns in coordination, process issues, and anonymized case trends where appropriate.
- Technical/data meetings: Periodic; align data standards, reporting timelines, and shared tools.
- Ad hoc working groups: Time-limited; focus on specific initiatives (e.g., new referral pathway, updated data dictionary).
Standard Agenda Framework
- Welcome, attendance, and overview of meeting purpose.
- Review of prior action items and status updates.
- Standing items (e.g., referral volumes, communication issues, capacity updates).
- Rotating focus topics (e.g., new legislation impacts, technology changes, cross-training plans).
- Decisions and action items, including responsible parties and timelines.
- Next meeting date, time, and anticipated agenda highlights.
Documentation and Follow-Up
- Designate a rotating or fixed note-taker for each meeting.
- Use a shared template for minutes capturing key decisions, issues, and action items.
- Circulate minutes within an agreed timeframe, using secure channels.
- Maintain a shared log of action items and decisions accessible to all partners.
Governance or steering groups can periodically review meeting structures to ensure alignment with evolving partnership goals and resource capacities.
Cross-Training Guidelines
Cross-training enables staff across agencies to understand partner roles, eligibility criteria, and coordination procedures. This reduces misdirected referrals and supports clearer communication.
Cross-Training Objectives
- Clarify each agency’s mandate, scope of services, and service limitations.
- Explain referral processes, required documentation, and expected response times.
- Review applicable confidentiality, information-sharing parameters, and consent practices at a high level.
- Increase familiarity with one another’s organizational structures and decision-making processes.
Training Formats
- Orientation exchanges: Partner agencies provide short overviews during each other’s staff meetings or onboarding sessions.
- Joint training sessions: Periodic sessions focused on specific coordination topics, facilitated by multiple agencies.
- Shadowing or observation days: Staff observe routine operations at partner agencies, subject to confidentiality constraints.
- Virtual learning modules: Short recordings or e-learning modules describing services, workflows, and referral expectations.
Content Planning for Cross-Trainings
- Develop a shared cross-training calendar coordinated through a central point of contact.
- Use consistent slide or handout templates to cover scope of services, eligibility, access points, and contact pathways.
- Incorporate case-agnostic scenarios to illustrate correct use of referral pathways and communication workflows.
- Gather feedback after sessions to prioritize future topics (e.g., clarifying new legislation, system changes, or technology tools).
Cross-training plans can be embedded in partnership agreements or memoranda of understanding, including frequency expectations, hosting responsibilities, and evaluation approaches.