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Specific Purpose Programs in Human Services and Health: Moving from an Input to an Output and Outcome Focus
Author(s) -
Duckett Stephen,
Swerissen Hal
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
australian journal of public administration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.524
H-Index - 41
eISSN - 1467-8500
pISSN - 0313-6647
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-8500.1996.tb01218.x
Subject(s) - sanctions , accountability , human services , outcome (game theory) , focus (optics) , public relations , field (mathematics) , control (management) , process management , business , political science , economics , management , law , physics , optics , mathematics , mathematical economics , pure mathematics
The content and control mechanisms of specific purpose programs are regularly under review, currently through processes associated with the Council of Australian Governments (COAG), with most proposals for reform in this area arguing for a shift to a focus on outputs or outcomes. This article reviews the place and role of specific purpose programs in the human services and health field, and identifies four issues which need to be addressed as part of any refocus onto outputs and outcomes. The four issues are: specification of objectives; measurement of outputs and/or outcomes; mechanisms for ensuring accountability to consumers; and systems of sanctions and rewards.