Introduction
A service delivery model is an organizing framework of principles that guides how an organization distributes resources and services to a community. It is the philosophy behind the choices made by an organization as it takes action. Service delivery models also provide guidance to individual human service professionals to help them frame their practice.

As an intern for Riverbend Community Action, you continue your work representing your organization on the Ruby Lake Homelessness Task Force. Now that the group has met a few times and has researched and brainstormed possible ways to address the youth and teen homelessness crisis, it’s time for the group to choose a service delivery model. After hearing the task force members’ thoughts on the matter, you will recommend the service delivery model you feel will best serve the community. Then, based on your choice of service delivery model, you will recommend possible new task force members who can help carry out that model.

Scene 1
Email from April Nguyen
Thank you for your great work with the Ruby Lake Teen Homelessness Task Force! The task force members have appreciated your willingness to hear their perspectives, as well as your willingness to offer insight into possible roadblocks and ethical issues.

The next step is for the task force to select a service delivery model. I know the task force members have some varying opinions on which model to choice. I’d like for you to listen to what they have to say, and then recommend a model. Here are the three models they will be choosing from:

The medical model. This model operates under the assumption that the person coming for help is sick or ill, or is otherwise unhealthy.
The human service model. This model focuses on the interaction between individuals and the environment, and on interpersonal and environmental conflicts.
The public health model. This model can be viewed as a bridge connecting the gap between the medical model and the human service model. It focuses on improving public health through the improvement of environmental factors such as education, nutrition, food safety, water supplies, immunization, and maternal and child health.
After choosing a model, I’d also like for you to recommend possible task force members who you think would be effective at helping to enact it.