Government Funding of AIDS Education through Latino Community-Base Organizations(CBOs). Abstract and Executive Summary of Dissertation

摘要

The AIDS epidemic affects poor Latino communities in the United Statesdisproportionally. To respond to the higher incidence of AIDS in the Latino community one of the policies state government agencies have adopted is to fund Latino community--based organizations (CBS) to provide HIV/AIDS prevention and education programs using the purchase of services contract (POSC) system. Despite the growing trend in contracting through the POSC system, little is known about its impact on program implementation. Research is generally pessimistic about the POSC, claiming that it is inefficient, diffuses public accountability, and hampers contractors' ability to effectively serve their target population. Moreover, the POSC system may conflict with the non-traditional nature of service delivery models developed by Latino agencies. This dissertation proposed that the market model adopted for the POSC system unrealistically divorces government agencies from program implementation. the central research question asked was: How does the POSC system in Massachusetts hinder or facilities implementation of HIV/AIDS prevention programs provided by Latino community-based organizations (CBOs). A policy implementation analysis was conducted using Gallagher's (1985) model for social policy implementation. An exploratory, multiple case study was designed using qualitative methods for data collection and analysis that included 33 Interviews with informants at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and four Latino CBOs; six focus groups with participants of the sampled Latino agencies/AIDS prevention programs; and analysis of relevant documentation.