The authors report on the development of theoretical rationales for calculating fees for service. Three formulas are presented as possible models for adoption by social service organizations. Each formula highlights the need to balance the competing demands of client equity, agency mission, and financial necessity.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbramovitzM. (1986). The privatization of the welfare state: A review. Social Work, 31, 257–265.
2.
AustinD. M., & HasenfeldY. (1985). A prefatory essay on the future administration of human services. Journal of Applied Behavioral Sciences, 21, 351–364.
3.
AyersG.MindelC.RobinsonL., & WrightJ. (1981). Fees in a human service agency: Why do clients pay?Social Work, 26, 245–248.
4.
BirdR. M. (1976). Charging for public services: A new look at an idea.Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Canadian Tax Foundation.
5.
BrilliantE. L. (1986). Community planning and community problem-solving: Past, present and future. Social Service Review, 60, 568–589.
6.
DiGiulioJ. F. (1984). Marketing social services. Social Casework, 64, 227–234.
7.
Family Service America. (1985). Fee charging.New York: Author.
8.
GilbertN. (1985). The commercialization of social welfare. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science, 21, 365–376.
9.
GilbertN. (1986). The welfare state adrift. Social Work, 31, 251–256.
10.
GoldbergA., & KovacD. C. (1971). A new concept of subsidy in determining fees for service. Social Casework, 52, 206–238.
11.
GummerB. (1987). Competing perspectives on the concept of effectiveness in the analysis of social services. Administration in Social Work, 11, 257–270.
12.
KramerR. M. (1987). Voluntary agencies and the personal social services. In PowellW. W. (Ed.), The nonprofit sector: A research handbook.New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
13.
LohmannR. A. (1976). Break-even analysis: Tool for budget planning. Social Work, 21, 300–307.
14.
McCreadyD. J. (1988). Ramsey pricing: A method for setting fees in social service organizations. American Journal of Economics and Sociology, 47, 97–110.
15.
ProchaskaJ. M., & DiBariP. M. (1985). Toward a fundamentally fair fee system: A case study. Administration in Social Work, 9(2), 49–58.
16.
ReichertK. (1977). The drift toward entrepreneurial-ism in health and social welfare: Implications for social work education. Administration in Social Work, 1, 123–134.
17.
RubensteinH.BlochM. H.WachterA. R., & VaughnH. H. (1985). The implications for administrative practice of fee systems based on client's ability to pay: The results of a survey. Administration in Social Work, 9(2), 37–48.
18.
RudneyG. (1987). The scope and dimension of nonprofit activity. In PowellW. W. (Ed.), The nonprofit sector: A research handbook.New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
19.
SalamonL. M. (1987). Partners in public service: The scope and theory of government–nonprofit relations. In PowellW. W. (Ed.), The nonprofit sector: A research handbook.New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
20.
ShieldsP. M. (1983). User charges in human services: Overcoming fiscal decline. In AgranoffR. (Ed.), Human services on a limited budget.Washington, DC: International City Management Association.
21.
ShieldsP. M., & RiceM. F. (1989). Using price as a management tool. New England Journal of Human Service, 8(3), 21–27.
22.
SteinbergR. (1987). Nonprofit organizations and the market. In PowellW. W. (Ed.), The nonprofit sector: A research handbook.New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
23.
StoeszD. (1986). Corporate welfare: The third stage of welfare in the United States. Social Work, 31, 245–250.
24.
U.S. Bureau of the Census. (1989). Statistical abstract of the United States.Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
25.
WernetS. P. (1988a). Relationships between characteristics of nonprofit, human service organizations and organizational adaptation. Unpublished doctoral diss., School of Social Work, University of Texas at Austin.
26.
WemetS. P. (1988b). The fiscal adaptation of the nonprofit, social service industry: A descriptive paradigm.Conference proceedings: Sixteenth Annual Meeting, Association of Voluntary Action Scholars. Washington, DC: Association of Voluntary Action Scholars.
27.
WernetS.P. (1989). Organization structure and critical events in a not-for-profit organization: Research in progress.Conference Proceedings: Sixth International Conference on Case Method Research and Case Method Application, Bentley College.
28.
WernetS. P. (1991a). Strategy and structure in family service agencies. Unpublished manuscript, School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
29.
WernetS. P. (1991b). A case study of adaptation in a nonprofit human service organization. Unpublished manuscript, School of Social Work, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
30.
WillcoxM. C., & MushkinS. J. (1972). Public pricing and family income: Problems of eligibility standards. In MushkinS. (Ed.), Public prices for public products.Washington DC: Urban Institute.
31.
ZajacE. E. (1978). Fairness of efficiency.Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.