The future of public-private sector partnerships for the provision of human services: problem and possibilities.

This article examines the responses of states, localities, and the private sector to recent attempts by the federal government to realign domestic responsibilities for the provision of human services. In exploring this issue, the author conducted a study of agencies assisting the developmentally disabled in Greater Richmond, Virginia. The author finds that the nation is experiencing a fundamental paradigm shift--a reconceptualization of structure, goals, and responsibilities--with respect to social welfare, with new public-private sector partnerships emerging to meet human needs.