Public policy and human service institutions

This paper discusses reasons for the apparent lack of interest by both the policy sciences and psychology in human service institutions and provides examples of the relationships between policy and politics and policy and economics in human service institutions. It suggests that two basic assumptions, labeled the professionalism myth and the individualism myth, have been major contributors to this state of affairs. Both the neglect given these institutions and the failure to examine the universe of alternatives in policy formulation are emphasized. Finally, the paper raises the question: Where has psychology been?