Contracting-out social services
Article Abstract:
Despite the enormous share of social services in government spending and the strong incentives on government to rationalize services, the alternative service delivery (ASD) literature has given little attention to social-service delivery. In our paper, we review current approaches taken to social-service delivery in Ontario by the Ministry of Community and Social Services (MCSS). Although the MCSS retains responsibility for the social-services system, it provides social services almost exclusively through private non-profit agencies under purchase of service contracts. Two themes emerge from our examination of these relationships. First, the standard privatization model has limited application to social-services delivery. Contracts are generally not awarded in a competitive fashion, and contract termination discipline is rarely applied. Given the inadequacies of current performance measures for social services, monitoring contract performance is difficult. Second, the success of attempts to shift provision to private non-governmental entities is intimately linked to the effectiveness of accountability mechanisms, especially outcome-based performance measures. Improving performance measurement is therefore an important priority. In addition to advocating further research into the effectiveness of social services, one interesting MCSS initiative has been to look to client communities to help monitor the performance of agencies. We conclude that among the different institutional approaches to social-service delivery, contracting with non-profits is the one that currently seems most appropriate. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)
Publication Name: Canadian Public Administration
Subject: Government
ISSN: 0008-4840
Year: 1998
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Political rights for public servants: a federal perspective
Article Abstract:
It is inappropriate to deny Canadian public employees the same rights accorded to other Canadians. Canadian laws which limit the political rights of public workers are antiquated, and more restrictive than any in the Western world outside the US. The new definition of civil rights in the 1982 Canadian Constitution helps make the public workers' political rights a civil rights issue. Canadian public workers typically have jobs similar to other average Canadians (such as secretarial, clerical, technical, or blue-collar positions). The law is too restrictive even for public workers who have more sensitive responsibilities.
Publication Name: Canadian Public Administration
Subject: Government
ISSN: 0008-4840
Year: 1986
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