Beyond the Search for Competition in Social Service Contracting: Procurement, Consolidation, and Accountability

The authors argue it is time to move beyond thinking of competition in social service contracting simply in terms of whether competitive tendering procedures are used. Although the procurement process is important, other factors should be examined as well. In particular, they look at how market consolidation and accountability are related to competitive procurement. Findings indicate that demand side—driven consolidation (i.e., governments purposely choosing to go with fewer and larger contracts in which lead agencies manage vendor networks) has both competitive and noncompetitive aspects that are in need of further study and that the competition—accountability link is more complex than generally assumed. Although, as expected, there is evidence that competition, in and of itself, leads to some contractor turnover, it does not appear that competitive vendors are held to higher standards than their noncompetitive counterparts regarding performance (as measured by adherence to contract terms).Yeshttps://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/manuscript-submission-guideline

Mental Health Service Use and Cost of Care for Older Adults in Assisted living Facilities: Implications for Public Policy

The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research February 2002, Volume 29, Issue 1, pp 91-98 Mental health service use and cost of care for older adults in assisted living facilities: Implications for public policy Marion Becker RN, PhD, Paul Stiles JD, PhD, Lawrence Schonfeld PhD … show all 3 hide » Download PDF (761 KB) Abstract With changing demographics prompting greater demand for assisted living facility (ALF) care, indigent older adults with mental health needs face underfunded residential care options and mental health systems currently unprepared to meet their service requirements. In particular, overreliance on inpatient mental health services for older individuals with mental illness and inadequate reimbursement of ALF facilities potentially increase costs and threaten availability of ALF care. This article analyzes Florida\u27s administrative data and presents findings on mental health service use and cost of care for poor older persons. Using Florida as an example, the authors recommend policy changes to ensure the quality and availability of residential care for low-income adults with mental health needs