Building a Coalition of Non-Profit Agencies to Collaborate with a County Health and Human Services Agency

It is rare that a group of community-based non-profit social service providers can successfully develop a coalition that includes not only a range of providers, but the County Health and Human Service Agency as well. This is a case study of a coalition of non-profit agencies that has come together in an attempt to plan and implement a comprehensive service delivery system to address the human service needs of residents in Napa County, California. With the goal of developing a comprehensive and seamless system of care for all residents of Napa, this non-profit coalition has begun to transform: (a) the way that services are designed and delivered, (b) the way that non-profits work together, and (c) the role of the county health and human services agency. The case study includes a set of obstacles encountered and lessons learned.