Community-Based Social Welfare Services in Mongolia: An Interdisciplinary Collaborative Assessment

 

Background and Purpose   Globalization has increased average per capita income worldwide, but inequalities have worsened within many countries. The 1990 collapse of the Soviet Union ended Russian subsidies in Mongolia and prompted the transition to a market economy. Driven by the mining sector, the economy has grown at an average annual rate of 8% since 2000, and poverty rates fell from 40% to 22%. Growth has slowed, but Mongolia is ranked as an upper middle-income country with medium human development indices. Yet, poverty remains high and represents a major challenge to development.

Mongolia's first Social Welfare Law (1995) provided aid and services for older adults, persons with disabilities without a caregiver, and orphaned children. Amendments have since extended services to populations made vulnerable by societal change. CBSWS, which encourage civil society and private sector involvement, are key to this expansion. This study, funded by the World Bank, comprised two phases. The first, the focus herein, involved assessment of current CBSWS delivery. The second entailed methodological and practical guidance for contracting, managing, delivering and monitoring 9 types of services for 11 vulnerable populations. 

Methods   A Mongolian and U.S. social work team drew on the EPIS (Exploration, Adoption/Preparation, Implementation, and Sustainment) implementation model to conceptualize the assessment of CBSWS. We examined 5 core legal / policy documents and conducted 43 in-depth interviews, 4 focus groups and 24 site visits with stakeholders in 2 Ulaanbaatar districts and 2 diverse rural aimags. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated and reviewed by bilingual team members.  We used Framework Analysis to organize, manage and analyze the data. We generated a matrix of concepts based on the EPIS model and other recent CBSWS evaluations. We charted the data, fitting cases with concordant codes, adding new codes as needed, then identified themes and patterns. Finally, we reflected on all data and peer and stakeholder discussions to cross-validate interpretations per the EPIS model.

Results  Most CBSWS are for rehabilitation and/or training for older adults and/or persons with disabilities, the same services and populations that predominated before expansion of the law. The data revealed a range of types and sources of challenges to developing and implementing new services for new target groupsÑsome general and others more particular to the Mongolian context. We present the findings of our assessment and recommendations in terms of:  1) contracting; 2) managing; 3) delivering and 4) monitoring and evaluation of CBSWS. 

Conclusions and Implications  CBSWS in Mongolia are a promising means for reaching its poorest citizens. As services expand and target new populations, efforts to update, clarify and integrate relevant policy documents and service delivery guidelines will help improve the quality, standardization and targeting of services and their implementation. Attention to contracting, management, delivery and monitoring will add further value. Finally, transparency about funding decisions, clearer systems of communication, and consistent funding will ensure that NGOs can hire, train, and maintain staff to conduct individualized assessments, deliver high-quality, targeted services and evaluate at organizational, community, and individual levels.