Which issue concerns deciding the mix of residual and institutional services?

Which issue concerns deciding the mix of residual and institutional services?

• A. The mix of residual and institutional services
• B. The color of office walls
• C. The price of bread
• D. The year of implementation

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is how a welfare system is organized by balancing two modes of provision: institutional services, which are universal and part of normal social arrangements, and residual services, which kick in when private resources fail and needs are demonstrated. Deciding the mix between these two reflects a policy design choice about how much care should be openly available to all versus how much should be targeted as safety nets for those in need. This balance influences who gets services, how easy they are to access, and how they’re funded or funded and stigmatized. So the question is asking about that design decision itself—the policy issue of how much to rely on universal, institutional provision versus targeted, residual safety nets. The other options relate to unrelated matters and don’t capture this organizational choice.

The main idea here is how a welfare system is organized by balancing two modes of provision: institutional services, which are universal and part of normal social arrangements, and residual services, which kick in when private resources fail and needs are demonstrated. Deciding the mix between these two reflects a policy design choice about how much care should be openly available to all versus how much should be targeted as safety nets for those in need. This balance influences who gets services, how easy they are to access, and how they’re funded or funded and stigmatized. So the question is asking about that design decision itself—the policy issue of how much to rely on universal, institutional provision versus targeted, residual safety nets. The other options relate to unrelated matters and don’t capture this organizational choice.