Advanced Case Management

There are many definitions of case management in the literature, but the most comprehensive definition comes from the Case Management Society of America (2017):

Case management is a collaborative process of assessment, planning, facilitation, care coordination, evaluation and advocacy for options and services to meet an individual’s and family’s comprehensive health needs through communication and available resources to promote patient safety, quality of care, and cost effective outcomes. (para. 1)

While case management occurs in all of the helping professions, not every practitioner takes an advanced, or evidence-based, approach. As a scholar-practitioner at Walden, it is important to get into the habit of integrating relevant research (i.e., evidence) into your work with service users. The Learning Resources this week include textbook readings that provide foundational information about case management, as well as research articles that provide evidence about the benefits of using a strengths-based approach to case management.

In this Discussion, you consider the importance of the advanced case management function to the practice of human services. You also evaluate the advanced case management efforts of an advanced human services professional practitioner in a Hart City scenario and propose a goal or objective for the service user in the scenario.

Reference:
Case Management Society of America. (2017). What is a case manager? https://www.cmsa.org/who-we-are/what-is-a-case-manager/ 

Resources

Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources. 

WEEKLY RESOURCES

To Prepare

• Review your Course Announcements for possible information related to this week’s Discussion and Assignment.
• Review the Learning Resources on advanced case management. Consider the steps and strategies used in the case management process, the role of interviewing in case management, and the benefits of using a strengths-based approach to case management.
• Go to the Hart City virtual community using the link that is provided in the Learning Resources. Once you are in the community, go to the Hart City Women’s Correctional Center. View the scenario about Sarah Reeves, who is meeting with her case manager to prepare for aftercare services. Identify specific case management strategies, approaches, or theories the advanced human services professional practitioner used and whether they were effective. Then, assume the role of the practitioner in the scenario and think about one goal or objective you would propose for Sarah.

By Day 4

Post an explanation of why advanced case management is an important function for an advanced human services professional practitioner. Then, describe one effective and one ineffective case management strategy, approach, or theory the advanced human services professional practitioner used in the Hart City scenario, and explain why each was effective or ineffective. Finally, assume the role of the practitioner in the scenario. What is one goal or objective you would propose for Sarah? Support your response with information from the Learning Resources and at least two scholarly sources from the Walden Library.

RESOURCES/REFERENCES

• Hunter, B. A., Lanza, A. S., Lawlor, M., Dyson, W., & Gordon, D. M. (2016). A strengths-based approach to prisoner reentry: The fresh start prisoner reentry programLinks to an external site.. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 60(11), 1298–1314. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15576501Links to an external site.
• Oliver, C., & Charles, G. (2016).Enacting firm, fair and friendly practice: A model for strengths-based child protection relationships?Links to an external site. British Journal of Social Work, 46(4), 1009–1026. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcv015Links to an external site.
• Schram, B., Mandell, B.R., Dann, P.L., & Peterson, L. (2020). An introduction to human services: Policy and practice (9th ed.). Pearson.
  • Chapter 8, “Interviewing” (pp. 207–236)
  • Chapter 9, “Direct Strategies: Working with People One-on–One” (pp. 237–254)
• Walden University, LLC. (2020b). Hart CityLinks to an external site. [Interactive media]. Walden University Canvas. https://waldenu.instructure.com

Note: Visit the Hart City Women’s Correctional Center and view the scenario about Sarah, who is meeting with her case manager to prepare for aftercare services