The cost of working together - A framework for estimating the costs of comprehensive support systems for children

Comprehensive systems that seek to coordinate a broad array of support serv ices have increasingly been surfacing as an avenue for providing public ser vices to children. Although proponents of such efforts have argued that mor e integrated approaches promise to be more efficient than fragmented system s of service delivery, little empirical evidence exists to support such cla ims. A major hurdle in making judgments about efficiency involves assessing the costs of the approach. This article develops, applies, and appraises a framework designed to guide local policy makers as they consider the types , amounts, and distribution of costs associated with comprehensive support systems for children.