A.E. (Ted) Benjamin
Ph.D., University of Michigan

Professor of Social Welfare
Phone: (310) 206-6044
Campus Extension: x66044
FAX: 67654 tedbenj@ucla.edu

Professor Benjamin's recent research has focused on an aspect of health care reform that will grow in importance in coming years, namely the design and financing of effective service systems for people of all ages with chronic health conditions. This research, supported by federal and state governments and private foundations, has examined the differential impact of home- and community-based interventions on the elderly and younger adults with disabilities.

Professor Benjamin’s most recent work has addressed two related issues in services for people with chronic health conditions. The first has involved the impact of different ways of organizing supportive, home-based services on the well-being of people with chronic health conditions. His research has compared traditional agency-based services with newer models that shift primary authority for services decisions and resource allocation to the recipients of services. The second research area involves workforce shortages, and specifically what our options are for expanding and improving the supply of entry-level personal care workers. This is important because this is the segment of the workforce that provides services to people with chronic health conditions at home and in other settings.

Research Interests:
Patterns of public response to the preferences and needs of people with disabilities; social and health services at home – access, quality, and organizational issues; the politics of long-term care; inter-generational policy issues.

Selected Publications:
Benjamin, A.E., R.E. Matthias, and T.M. Franke. “Comparing Consumer-Directed and Agency Models for Providing Supportive Services at Home.” Health Services Research 35-1 (April 2000), 351-366.

Benjamin, A.E. and R.E. Matthias. “Age, Consumer Direction, and Outcomes of Supportive Services at Home.” The Gerontologist , 41-5 (October 2001), 632-642.

Benjamin, A.E. “ Consumer-Directed Services at Home: A New Model for Persons with Disabilities.” Health Affairs, 20-6 (November/December 2001), 80-95.

Benjamin, A.E. and R.E. Matthias. “Work-Life Differences and Outcomes for Agency and Consumer-Directed Home-Care Workers.” The Gerontologist, 44-4 (August 2004), 479-488.

A.E. Benjamin and Mary Fennell (eds.) Putting Consumers First in Long-Term Care: Findings from the Cash & Counseling Demonstration and Evaluation. A special issue of Health Services Research 42, No.1-Pt.2 (February 2007).

Matthias, R.E. and A.E. Benjamin. “Paying Friends, Family or Strangers to be Home-Based Personal Assistants: How Satisfied are Consumers?” Journal of Disability Policy Studies (2007/08), forthcoming.

Benjamin, A.E., R.E. Matthias, K. Kietzman, and W. Furman. “Retention of Paid Related Caregivers:Who Stays and Who Leaves Home Care Careers?” The Gerontologist, forthcoming (February 2008).