Human services management occurs in nonprofit, governmental, and for-profit sectors and involves a wide variety of organizational structures. These diverse conditions shape the effort to produce and project services that directly affect the quality of life of individuals, families, and communities through social welfare, health and mental health, criminal justice, and educational services. David Austin begins with an examination of the historical development and distinctive characteristics of human service organizations, the variety of organizational and program structures at play, and the connection of individual service organizations with service delivery networks. He then examines of the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholder constituencies, including service users, service personnel (especially service professionals), funders, executives, and policy boards. The final two chapters discuss two organizational processes: accountability for effectiveness and dealing with organizational changes.

David Austin has contributed to Human Services Management: Organizational Leadership in Social Work Practice as an author. David Austin is the Bert Kruger Smith Centennial Professor Emeritus at the School of Social Work of The University of Texas at Austin. In 1997 he received the Significant Lifetime Achievement in Social Work Education Award of the Council on Social Work Education.