Giving Voice to Rural and Urban Social Service Providers: Recessionary Effects on the Provision of Services in Hawai'i

Utilizing an Internet-based survey, 98 administrators, managers, and supervisors in social service settings answered quantitative and qualitative questions about recessionary effects on services and strategies employed to cope with budget shortfalls. Respondents reported making reductions in personnel and programs, with private providers suffering more reductions, and rural counties cutting programs and personnel at higher rates than urban counterparts. Respondents also related concerns about program sustainability, caseload sizes, personnel burnout, impacts to quality, and long-term impacts to clients. Providers utilized a variety of strategies in an attempt to preserve services for vulnerable individuals and their families.