case management in social work

 

Concepts and Applications of Case Management

    Case management is a helping process that primarily assists individuals facing multiple problems by coordinating and linking various professional services to the service recipients and their families. Rather than focusing on a single issue, case management involves assessing the individual’s overall situation and living environment. The family is also considered an integral part of the scope of case management services.

    Case management originated in the 1970s. The development of case management in the United States was driven by several major factors. First, fragmented service delivery systems at the time were unable to provide effective services. Second, changes in federal government policies led to disorder and complexity within the service system. Third, government budget cuts reduced the number of professional service personnel, forcing agencies to increase their caseloads. Fourth, the rise of the deinstitutionalization movement created a need to address the follow-up issues that emerged when large numbers of individuals with mental illness returned to community living.

    The holistic service perspective of case management enables practitioners to examine the integration and availability of resources, monitor service delivery, and reduce clients’ unrealistic expectations, while preventing fragmented or overlapping services.

Five Principles of Effective Services:

1. Individualized Services: each client has unique circumstances and distinct physical and psychological needs. Services should therefore be tailored to the individual situation.
2. Comprehensive Service Delivery: services should provide appropriate and comprehensive resources, with effective linkage and monitoring to ensure service quality.
3. Principle of Economy: services should be delivered in the most cost-effective and convenient manner to address clients’ problems.
4. Principle of Promoting Autonomy: clients should be given opportunities to make their own choices, fostering learning and independence while minimizing unnecessary intervention.
5. Principle of Continuity of Care: professional relationships should be maintained so that clients can seek support whenever needs arise.

The Case Management Process

Case management is a practice process aimed at resolving complex problems. It involves different methods and procedures and requires long-term operation. From initiation to completion, the process is divided into distinct stages. The operational process includes client screening, needs assessment, development of a case management plan, implementation and coordination of services, monitoring of the plan, and termination of services. Across different fields of practice, the working approaches are adapted accordingly. The following section introduces six important intervention stages.