1. Strengthening Authentic Assessment of Social Work Practice in a Climate of Economic Accountability Denise E. Dedman Susanne Chandler Kathleen Woehrle July 11, 2012 Joint World Conference on Social Work and Social Development: Action and Impact Stockholm, Sweden Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

2. Weissman, 1983 1960s- increasing responsiveness to clients & direct workers 1970s- bottom-up strategies likely to be inefficient –More efficiency, less effectiveness –More control, less support 1980s- concern that accountability decreases service –Adversarial relationship with funders Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

3. Curvilinear nature of accountability Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

4. Weissman Implications –All stakeholders have a voice (openness) –True accountability assists workers in obtaining best, realistic, outcomes –Rewards and costs weighted toward effectiveness –Fair criteria related to varying goals vs single measurement Dedman – Social Work Dept.

5. Johnson, Rochkind, & DuPont, 2011 Attempts at accountability are perceived by the public as “complicated and perhaps marginally informative” and may cause the public to become more distanced and negative about the institution. Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

6. How does that happen? Funders/leaders Efficiency Quantitative data on targets; Performance of individuals within institutions; Faith in numbers Disclosure/transparency via massive reporting Public Effectiveness Qualitative data on interactions; Individuals behaving thoughtfully & responsibly; Concern that numbers are manipulated; Confusion at piles of data, multiple reports/perspectives Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

7. Authentic accountability What are our purposes? –Problem solving –Human relationships –Social change/empowerment How might this be measured? Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

8. How might this be measured? Problem solving –Chronic  crisis Human relationships –Facebook  dinner table Social change/empowerment –Transformational  social control Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

9. Contact: Denise E. Dedman, Ph.D., LMSW –Assistant professor University of Michigan-Flint 303 E. Kearsley Flint, MI 48502 ddedman@umflint.edu Kathleen Woehrle, Ph.D., MSW –Associate professor University of Michigan-Flint 303 E. Kearsley Flint, MI 48502 kwoehrle@umflint.edu Collins & Dedman, 2012

10. Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012

11. Koppell, 2005 Public administration literature Typology of accountability: transparency liability controllability responsibility responsiveness Dedman & Woehrle, July 11, 2012