Question 1

The conditions of the work environment that affect how people experience their work is known as the:
A)formal climate.
B)informal climate.
C)organizational climate.
D)structural climate.

Accepted Answer

Organizational climate refers to the shared perceptions and attitudes about the organization, influencing how employees experience their work environment. It encompasses various aspects, including policies, practices, and procedures that employees are exposed to on a daily basis.

Question 2

In planning quality-assurance programs in human service agencies, the focus is on:
A)developing pre-approval policies with HMOs.
B)developing standards of client care.
C)developing the agency's mission statement.
D)developing the agency's formal structure.

Accepted Answer

Developing standards of client care is a primary focus in planning quality-assurance programs in human service agencies, as it directly relates to the quality and effectiveness of the services provided to clients.

Question 3

A summary of the agency's guiding principles that includes the goals of the organization and describes the populations that will benefit from the work of the organization is a:
A)policy statement.
B)mission statement.
C)goal statement.
D)quality-assurance statement.

Accepted Answer

A mission statement summarizes an organization's core aims, philosophies, and the populations it serves, acting as a guide for its goals and actions.

Question 4

Understanding the organizational structure of an agency is helpful for what reason?
A)The case manager will have a better understanding of his or her job responsibilities in the context of the agency.
B)The case manager will have a better understanding of how to work around the agency's chain of command. ​
C)The case manager will have a better understanding of how clients might try to take advantage of the agency.
D)The case manager will have a better understanding of the need for advocacy on behalf of the clients.

Accepted Answer

Understanding the organizational structure helps the case manager comprehend their job responsibilities within the agency's framework.

Question 5

The informal structure of an organization may contribute to the strength and success of the organization by:
A)representing the tradition of the agency and preserving the status quo.
B)informing case managers of any anticipated changes in budgeting.
C)meeting the needs of the organization that are unmet by the formal structure.
D)conducting utilization reviews within the agency's service delivery system.

Accepted Answer

The informal structure of an organization can address gaps or needs not covered by the formal structure, fostering adaptability and innovation that contribute to the organization's success.

Question 6

The policies and procedures of an organization usually include which of the following?
I.Specific job descriptions established by the agency's board of directors
II.Legal requirements established by the federal, state, and local governments
III.Standards of practice established by a professional code of ethics
IV.Descriptions of income and expenditures established by the agency's director
A)I, II, III, and IV
B)I, III, and IV
C)III and IV
D)II and III

Accepted Answer

Policies and procedures typically include legal requirements and standards of practice, but not specific job descriptions or financial descriptions.

Question 7

In many agencies, a formal structure and an informal structure exist. The differences between these may be reflected in which of the following?
I.What the formal lines of communication are, versus whom actually communicates with whom
II.What a particular job description says, versus what the individual in the job actually does
III.What the board of directors deems appropriate allocation of funds, versus what is actually spent
IV.What the official policy is on a given issue, versus what actually happens if the issue arises ​
A)II and III
B)I, II, and IV
C)I and III
D)I, II, III, and IV

Accepted Answer

The answer of In many agencies, a formal structure and...

Question 8

Michael is a case manager for a homeless shelter in a large metropolitan city. Last week, the program director asked Michael to be the leader of the budget-planning committee. Michael was a member of the committee last year, and he agreed to lead this committee because of previous experience.
As Michael planned for the first meeting, he reviewed the minutes from the previous year's committee meetings and spoke with Angela, who led the previous year's committee. Angela described the different purposes of a budget, as well as the different features of a budget. She suggested that Michael create a list of all the different expenditure categories as a way to guide the discussion during the committee meetings.
In his conversation with Angela, Michael asked her to explain the difference between projected expenditures and actual expenditures. Which of the following correctly describes actual expenditures?
A)Money that has been set aside for expenses in a given category
B)Money that has been allocated to a given category minus the amount already spent
C)Money that has been spent in a given category to date
D)Money that has been spent on supplies, equipment, travel, and training

Accepted Answer

Actual expenditures refer to the money that has already been spent in a given category, reflecting the real costs incurred to date.

Question 9

A case manager's written job description may be seen as a guideline, but it is not always an accurate reflection of the actual work. Which of the following are reasons for the changes in case manager's responsibilities?
I.Reorganization within the agency
II.Economic pressures facing the agency
III.Changing needs of the client population
IV.Performance evaluation by the supervisor
A)I, II, III, and IV
B)I and III
C)II and IV
D)I, II, and III

Accepted Answer

Reorganization within the agency, economic pressures, and changing needs of the client population can all lead to changes in a case manager's responsibilities. Performance evaluation by the supervisor typically assesses current performance rather than changing job responsibilities.

Question 10

Agencies that receive funding from federal, state, regional, county, or municipal governments are classified as:
A)not-for-profit agencies.
B)public agencies.
C)private agencies.
D)for-profit agencies.

Accepted Answer

Public agencies are those that receive funding from various levels of government, including federal, state, regional, county, or municipal sources. This funding structure is what primarily distinguishes them from private, not-for-profit, or for-profit agencies.

Question 11

Final authority in many human service agencies and organizations rests with:
A)the board of directors.
B)the director of personnel.
C)the chief financial officer.
D)the lead supervisor.

Accepted Answer

The board of directors typically holds the final authority in many human service agencies and organizations, as they are responsible for making the most significant decisions regarding policy, direction, and strategy.

Question 12

Michael is a case manager for a homeless shelter in a large metropolitan city. Last week, the program director asked Michael to be the leader of the budget-planning committee. Michael was a member of the committee last year, and he agreed to lead this committee because of previous experience.
As Michael planned for the first meeting, he reviewed the minutes from the previous year's committee meetings and spoke with Angela, who led the previous year's committee. Angela described the different purposes of a budget, as well as the different features of a budget. She suggested that Michael create a list of all the different expenditure categories as a way to guide the discussion during the committee meetings.
Based on Angela's suggestion, Michael decided to create a list of expenditure categories. Which of the following should he include?
I.Salaries
II.Supplies
III.Grants
IV.Donations
V.Equipment
VI.       Travel
VII.     Fundraisers
A)II, V, and VII
B)I, II, III, V, and VI
C)I, II, V, and VI
D)IV, VI, and VII

Accepted Answer

Salaries, Supplies, Equipment, and Travel are typical expenditure categories in a budget. Grants and Donations are sources of income, not expenditures. Fundraisers could be considered an expenditure if it's about the cost of organizing them, but it's not explicitly mentioned as a focus for expenditure categories in this context.

Question 13

Michael is a case manager for a homeless shelter in a large metropolitan city. Last week, the program director asked Michael to be the leader of the budget-planning committee. Michael was a member of the committee last year, and he agreed to lead this committee because of previous experience.
As Michael planned for the first meeting, he reviewed the minutes from the previous year's committee meetings and spoke with Angela, who led the previous year's committee. Angela described the different purposes of a budget, as well as the different features of a budget. She suggested that Michael create a list of all the different expenditure categories as a way to guide the discussion during the committee meetings.
While preparing for the first committee meeting, Michael decides that he should include an understandable definition of a budget. Which of the following statements should Michael include in this definition?
I.A budget describes agency income and expenditures.
II.A budget determines the agency's policies and procedures.
III.A budget determines how the agency is funded.
IV.A budget is a detailed plan of action.
V.A budget has two purposes: planning and controlling.
A)I, II, III, IV, and V ​
B)I, II, and III
C)I, II, and V
D)I, IV, and V

Accepted Answer

A budget is essentially a financial document that outlines an organization's income and expenditures (I), serves as a detailed plan of action for financial management (IV), and has dual purposes of planning and controlling financial resources (V). It does not directly determine an agency's policies and procedures (II) or how the agency is funded (III), although it may reflect these aspects.

Question 14

Understanding the basic concepts of budgeting is important for a case manager because resource allocation can determine which of the following?
I.The number of members on the board
II.The number of staff members
III.The number of clients served
IV.The types of clients served
V.The programs available for clients
A)I, II, III, IV, and V
B)I, II, and III
C)I, II, and V
D)II, IV, and V

Accepted Answer

Understanding basic budgeting concepts allows a case manager to effectively allocate resources, which directly impacts the number of staff members (II), the types of clients served (IV), and the programs available for clients (V). The number of board members (I) is typically determined by the organization's bylaws or governance structure, not by budgeting. The number of clients served (III) can be influenced by budgeting indirectly through program availability and staff capacity, but it is more directly a function of those specific allocations rather than a direct budgeting decision.

Question 15

One best practice supporting interorganizational collaboration is:
A)moving carefully through each collaborative process.
B)separating streams of funding.
C)forming a leadership team that includes each organization.
D)choosing participants with diverse missions and clientele.

Accepted Answer

The answer of One best practice supporting interorganizational collaboration is:
A)moving...

Question 16

Another approach to improving the value of services in the human service delivery system is:
A)agency priority management.
B)organizational structure management.
C)resource allocation management.
D)total quality management.

Accepted Answer

Total quality management focuses on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction, which can enhance the value of services in the human service delivery system.

Question 17

A symbolic representation of the lines of authority of authority and accountability is commonly called a(n):
A)planning chart.
B)command chart.
C)organizational chart.
D)allocation chart.

Accepted Answer

An organizational chart is a diagram that visually represents the structure of an organization, showing the relationships and relative ranks of its parts and positions/jobs.

Question 18

Organizations need to consider which of the following when developing a social media strategy? Organizations need to consider which of the following when developing a social media strategy?
I.What social media their funders use
II.The target audience
III.Outcomes from previous social media strategies
IV.The time needed to create media content
A)II, III, and VII.
B)I, II, and III.
C)II and III.
D)III and IV.

Accepted Answer

Organizations should focus on understanding their target audience and analyzing outcomes from previous strategies to improve future efforts.

Question 19

The recent emphasis on providing quality services includes conducting:
A)funding reviews.
B)utilization reviews.
C)service reviews.
D)for-profit agencies.

Accepted Answer

Utilization reviews are a key component in ensuring quality services by assessing the appropriateness, medical need, and efficiency of healthcare services, procedures, and facilities.

Quiz 11: Working Within the Organizational Context

The conditions of the work environment that affect how people experience their work is known as the:

In planning quality-assurance programs in human service agencies, the focus is on:

A summary of the agency's guiding principles that includes the goals of the organization and describes the populations that will benefit from the work of the organization is a:

Understanding the organizational structure of an agency is helpful for what reason?

The informal structure of an organization may contribute to the strength and success of the organization by:

Agencies that receive funding from federal, state, regional, county, or municipal governments are classified as:

Final authority in many human service agencies and organizations rests with:

One best practice supporting interorganizational collaboration is:

Another approach to improving the value of services in the human service delivery system is:

A symbolic representation of the lines of authority of authority and accountability is commonly called a(n) :

The recent emphasis on providing quality services includes conducting: