Summary
A random survey of social workers licensed in Texas at the advanced clinical practitioner level using self-administered questionnaires reveals the reasons-especially those the respondents deem most important-why experienced and eligible clinical social workers eschew a private practice. The overwhelming majority decline for reasons other than a restricted professional ideology. Comparisons are drawn between the reasons for declining a private practice and the reasons of part-time private practitioners for declining a full-time private practice. Implications for agency-based practice and for the growth trend in private practice in the era of managed care are explored. Four hundred twenty responses provide the data for this study.