These activities form a complex system that is continuously influenced and bounded by social, economic, and political forces on the national, state, and local levels, and the social services system is in a chronically reactive position to these forces. Implicit decisions are made as to who is eligible for service, under what circumstances services are to be offered, and the duration of services. Self-determining families and individuals with the equal right to succeed or to fail have the right to accept or reject services. Because income is often used as an eligibility criterion, services are not uniformly available or accessible. Within such context, social services are provided at the point of breakdown, and prevailing knowledge and concepts on prevention are improperly used.
Emphasis is placed on short-term solutions, demonstration projects, and discrete programs.
There is a continuing debate on the definitions of prevention and the efficacy of treatment, as if each were totally independent. The objective, then, is the development of a new comprehensive social services system in the United States that will assist families and individuals efficiently to sustain and enhance their social functioning in a given community. Availability of services may be subject to community priorities when the community has identified them as recommended or discretionary. However, when services are imposed by courts, considered mandatory or based on needs that may result in significant life changes for an individual or family, such services shall be available in a timely manner and according to best practice standards. Appropriate private administrative review and reasonable subsidy shall be available in instances in which the service is imposed by court action or mandated by public law.