Performance contracting for human services

Abstract

Traditional counseling approaches to providing human services either are inapplicable, were never given the chance to work, or did not work for large numbers of persons. This article suggests that performance contracting may be one answer to pressing domestic problems. In this approach, emphasis is placed on client, student, or applicant performance in terms of predetermined, commonly agreed‐upon goals. It places little emphasis on agency structure or professional discipline or on special applicant or client groups. Important by‐products include the promotion of experimentation and demonstration, the establishment of administrative and professional accountability, and the protection of the service consumer.

Counselor Accountability

“…Such a system may be inconsequential unless it defines success criteria for the outcomes. Ehrle (1970) suggests that counseling outcomes may be defined in terms of specific client behaviors and compared with previously specified performance criteria to determine the degree of success. This seems to be a reasonable evaluative procedure, which, in part, may provide credibility and structure for the system.…”

MANAGING HUMAN SERVICE SUBSYSTEMS IN THE ‘70's

“…To facilitate the mini-max approach, a number of new techniques are emerging in human service delivery activities. These include (a) the notion of regional rather than local or national planning, requiring a different geographic perspective and a longer time frame for forecasting (Koontz & O'Donnell, 1968); (b) the development of comprehensive, centralized, and/or satellited service delivery systems to provide for both specialization and maximum utilization of staff and facilities (Harris, 1967); (c) the development and utilization of a wide variety of paraprofessionals, preprofessionals, and "new careerists" (could, 1969;Grosser, 1969; Office of State Merit Systems, 1968); (d) the use of central data handling information and referral systems (Perrone & Thrush, 1969); and (e) the use of performance contracting to achieve specific end results (Ehrle, 1970;Jerman, 1969).…”