Summary
We remind ourselves that for an organization to remain viable it must: 1. work productively with the elements of its environment and 2. provide a meaningful/stimulating workplace.
Mental health facilities have felt growing pressures from a variety of groups for recognition in the decision-making processes. If appropriately focused and channeled, such input can be beneficial. At the same time governmental and other sources of funds and standards have been increasingly requiring service providers to operate with measurable objective and to concern themselves with cost effectiveness.
Earlier conceptions of MBO were either ill suited for social service agencies due to not recognizing the characteristics of a professional organization or not allowing for or encouraging involvement of the service consumer in the process.
The Social Service Model of Management by Objectives is an approach which can be used as a planning and communication tool for staff, administration, and the board with on-going input from clients and potential clients. Recent research has demonstrated “grounds for optimism” for structured, problem-solving methods. Utilizing client input through the problem identification process of the task-centered system may also be helpful in increasing the measurability of objectives in mental health facilities. This approach can further staff identification with and involvement in agency functioning.
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References
Melvin C. Raider, “A Social Service Model of Management by Objectives,” Supocial Cupasework, 57 (8), (October, {dy1976}).
William J. Reid, THE TASK-CENTERED SYSTEM. (New York: Columbia University Press, 1978).
Ibid 1 Melvin C. Raider, “A Social Service Model of Management by Objectives,” Supocial Cupasework, 57 (8), (October, 1976). page 525.
J. F. Hosick, “An Incentive System for Outpatient Therapists,” Jupournal Oupf Mupental Hupealth Aupdministration, 10(1), (Spring, 1983).
P. Nelson Reid, “Reforming the Social Services Monopoly,” Supocial Wupork, 17(6), (November, 1972).
Robert Periman, CONSUMERS AND SOCIAL SERVICES, (New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1975), page 13.
Dorothy Fahs Beck, PATTERNS IN THE USE OF FAMILY AGENCY SERVICE, (New York: Family Service Association, 1962), page 18.
Katherne M. Wood, “Casework Effectiveness: A New Look at the Research Evidence,” Supocial Wupork, 23(6), (November, 1978).
William J. Reid and Patricia Hanrahan, “Recent Evaluations of Social Work: Grounds for Optimism,” Supocial Wupork, 27(4), (July, 1982).
John S. Wodarski, Marcy Saffir and Malcolm Frazer, “Using Research to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Task-Centered Casework,” THE JOURNAL OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES, 7(1), (Fall/Winter, 1982–83).
Additional information
Mills, Michael M., ACSW—Has worked in a variety of community and institutional mental health settings. He is currently an instructor of social work at Ohio University, Athens, Ohio.
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Mills, M.M. The social service model of management by objectives: Wedding MBO and the task-centered system. Journal of Mental Health Administration 10, 19–21 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02833048
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02833048