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Privatization

As a reform strategy, many State and local public child welfare agencies have privatized some of their services. Privatization involves contracting with private agencies for services. Some child welfare systems have implemented performance contracting, which involves a payment structure for contracted agencies based on the achievement of set outcomes.

• State and local examples
• Managed care

National Quality Improvement Center on the Privatization of Child Welfare Services Children's Bureau, University of Kentucky College of Social Work, & Planning and Learning Technologies (Pal-Tech) Provides information on the goals of the Quality Improvement Center (QIC), and the needs assessment that will be undertaken by the QIC to identify the current state of child welfare and privatization. Child Welfare Privatization Initiatives Project Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (HHS) The project has produced a series of topical papers drawing from the experience of child welfare and other social services programs that have privatized services and is intended to provide insights about factors that should be considered when approaching or improving upon privatization efforts.

An Assessment of the Privatization of Child Welfare Services: Challenges and Successes
Freundlich & Gerstenzang (2003)
View Abstract
Explains the concept of privatization and describes the processes used in various localities to transfer responsibility for certain functions from public agencies to private organizations.

Child Welfare Privatization Reform Efforts in the States
Sells (2001)
Examines child welfare privatization in several States.

Child Welfare and Privatization: Trends and Considerations
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (2004)
Examines the privatization of child welfare services, including the use of title IV-E waivers by States.

Performance-Based Contracting for Human Services: Does It Work?
Martin
Administration in Social Work, 29(1), 2005
View Abstract
Examines performance-based contracting activities of selected State human services agencies, including approaches and results.

Performance Contracting in the Human Services: An Analysis of Selected State Practices
Martin
Administration in Social Work, 24(2), 2000
View Abstract
Addresses performance contracting in human services, including examples from three States.

Privatization of Welfare Services: A Review of the Literature
Winston, Burwick, McConnell, & Roper (2002)
Explores the trend towards privatization in child welfare services and discusses findings that evaluated the experiences of six Temporary Assistance for Needy Families agencies that have privatized case management. (PDF - 586 KB)

Privatization.org: Child Welfare Services
Reason Foundation (2004)
Discusses the growing trend among child welfare agencies to put out requests for proposals seeking bids for performance-based capitated contracts.

Public or Private Children's Services? Privatization in Retrospect
Rosenthal
Social Service Review, 74(2), 2000
View Abstract
Documents the changing relationships of the public and private child welfare sectors.

Updated on July 7, 2008