Strengthening Infrastructure and Implementing Functions to Support Collaborative Community Problem Solving

The purpose of this article is to explore infrastructure and functions to serve as a foundation for collaborative community problem solving. The literature reviewed in this article focuses on problem solving in the health, education, and social services arenas. However, the recommendations and perspectives would appear to apply to collaborative community problem solving focused on any complex social issue. It is imperative that as local, state, and national policies and practices evolve supporting collaborative efforts to address a variety of issues, planners be prepared to facilitate community dialogue designed to build strong partnerships at the local level.