Marriages of Convenience and Purpose

Abstract

When a Louisiana social work school and a federal court said “I do,” their unusual partnership gave birth to a state plan enhancing inmate mental health services. This alliance illustrates some of the pitfalls and pleasures of partnerships and can be a model for “town-gown” liaisons. Despite problems of working across agency lines in rough political waters, the school and its students enjoyed substantial benefits, and community attention to the well-being of prison inmates increased. This article discusses problems and benefits of collaboration, describes the genesis and results of this model relationship, and outlines the inmate mental health assessment and plan that grew out of this partnership.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Margaret M. Severson

This article is based on a paper presented at the Council on Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meeting, New York City, February 1993. The authors would like to thank James Midgley, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research, Louisiana State University, for his assistance.