Preparing Social Workers for an Age of Accountability: Understanding Cost Analysis

Abstract

There are four closely related cost-analysis skills to be considered for MSW-level practice. The discussion of each will include its appropriateness for social work practice, its limitations as a planning and administrative tool, a model of the application of the tool, and an orientation to the place of the skill in the education of practitioners. Budgeting and cost accounting are discussed first, since they are the foundation skills; cost effectiveness analysis and cost benefit analysis are more sophisticated and complex extensions of the concepts.