In fact social workers can be found anywhere and everywhere there are people who deed the help of a professional to alleviate personal or social problems. (Senator Daniel Nonunion, D-HI, April 1986) Case management is a collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services required to meet the client’s health and human service needs. (COM,2010,UP) Case management considers the advocacy for the safety and well-being of each person supported.
Case managers look at each service as an individualized support to their client, supports need to be flexible and creative to ensure that they are responsive to clients’ needs and wants. Case managers roved a service in a team environment, utilizing the skills, knowledge and competencies of team members to provide high quality services to their client. Case managers will consider the community they are practicing in to ensure the all services available are accessible to the client.
Case managers will ensure that self choices are meant through informed choice. Case management reflects mutual respect and trust with their clients and considers all collaboration and cooperation with their respective agencies with the community. The privacy of clients is protected at all times; all information, professionally acquired, is held in inference. Case management facilitates the achievement of client wellness and autonomy through advocacy, assessment, planning, communication, education, resource management, and service facilitation.
Based on the needs and values of the client, and in collaboration with all service providers, the case manager links clients with appropriate providers and resources throughout the continuum of health and human services and care settings, while ensuring that the care provided is safe, effective, client-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable. Case managers must consider each person as an individual, looking at their strengths, popes and aspirations to enhance self determination.
It must also consider the dynamics of family relationships and other natural supports. Within this thinking they also must value the diversity of race, culture, language, age, gender, disabilities, religion and sexual orientation and treat each in a respectful manner. Thus, allowing services to be inclusive of the above. This will ensure that the maximum well being and improvement of quality of life is achieved. Case managers have the responsibilities to evaluate and continuously monitor their client’s progress.
This is done in order to allow the client to reach their maximum bevel of wellness, self functioning and advocacy There are several models of case management that companies/agencies can choose from to conduct their business. In this Paper we will examine the following two models of case management. Assertive Community Treatment Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) is a team treatment approach designed to provide comprehensive, community-based psychiatric treatment, rehabilitation, and support to persons with serious and persistent mental illness such as schizophrenia.
The ACT model of care evolved out of the work of Arnold Marx, M. D. Leonard Stein, and Mary Ann Test, Ph. D. , in the late sass. ACT has been widely implemented in the United States, Canada, and England. The Department of Veterans Affairs has also implemented ACT across the United States. (AAA, http://vow. Internationalization. Com/act_model; p 1) ACT is a team of professionals in which the background varies in training. Member of this team include professionals from social work, rehab services, counseling, nursing as well as psychiatry. This model of case management has services available 24 hours per day 365 days a year.
ACT focuses on providing case management, initial and ongoing assessments, psychiatric services, employment and housing assistance for families. It also supports families overall and has a strong emphasis on education. ACT has substance abuse services; it focuses on supporting clients to live successfully in the community. The professional assign to the ACT team provides a level of support that encompasses all areas of work on a short term bases overseen by medical staff, the case manager can find all the services under one roof and therefore does don’t have to broker out any services.
The ACT team has the professional responsibility for overseeing al aspects of the clients daily life, proportioning the crisis events and then moving toward skill development. The main focus of ACT is to provide clients that require the most support from the system. The idea of promoting independence through rehabilitation and skill focused teaching in order to prevent clients from seeking hospitalizing and encourage positive outcomes such as a stable residence and employment. This method of case management combines both an in treatment (center based) and in home approach, in order to be able to transfer and main the skills learnt.
Intensive Service Co-ordination Model Intensive case management practices are typically targeted to individuals with the greatest service needs, including individuals with a history of multiple hospitalizing, persons dually diagnosed with substance abuse problems, individuals with mental illness who have been involved with the criminal justice system, and individuals who are both homeless and severely mentally ill. A recent (2002) mail survey of 22 experts found that while intensive case management shares many critical ingredients with ACT programs, its elements are not as clearly articulated.
Another distinction between intensive case management and ACT appears to be that the latter relies more heavily on a team versus individual approach. In addition, intensive case managers are more likely to “broker” treatment and rehabilitation services rather than provide them directly. Finally, intensive case management programs are more likely to focus on client strengths, empowering clients to fully participate in all treatment decisions. (http://www. Interspersed. Com/BRB-Del/Case-management. HTML). Although there are similarities between ACT and intensive case management models, the services are delivered differently (i. . ACT services are provided by a team versus intensive case management services which are provided by a single case manager. ) (Intensive Case Management Service Standards, May 2005, P 7). ACT case management is limited in scope to the clients that is serves; however, those clients are able to get direct support in all areas of treatment. Intensive Case Management offers a wide range of services to a wider range of clients; however, it is limited in the fact that most other services must have been explored before Intensive Case Management will be come involved. What is the overview of what your role is?
Intensive Service Coordination involves system coordination for children and youth with complex special needs. It involves inter-agency and cross-sector networking. It is the process used when multiple service providers collaborate to develop, coordinate and manage the implementation of an integrated service plan to meet the identified needs of the child/youth and family and support goal achievement. Intensive Service Coordination is available at a community level and will provide system capacity for service planning requiring an integrated service plan and flexible use of service resources.
The Intensive Service Coordinator (SC) provides systems level coordination and support to complex special needs children and their families in those situations where, because of the number of services involved and/or the level of support needed and/or the complexity of the situation, additional service coordination is required. How do people make a referral to your program? A referral to Intensive Service Coordination is appropriate when it has been determined that an extraordinary service respond beyond what is currently available is required to meet the identified needs of a complex special needs child. Intensive Service Coordination is not a first point of entry to the service system. It is used once efforts have been made to meet a child/youth’s needs through funded services and agency-level service coordination. Children and youth eligible for Intensive Service Coordination are children and youth with special needs who often have high needs stemming from significant functional limitations; and whose families have sought services but are experiencing significant stresses or report an inability to manage the care needs of their child.
The children would benefit from an extraordinary service response beyond hat is currently available to them in the service system. Referrals are made by agencies that are providing a service to a complex special needs child. They complete an Intensive Service Coordination referral and forward it to the designated Agency (HANDS or FUSSY). Can families make a referral directly? No, there is no direct link from families to our service. They must access all possibilities in the community, and then and only then can an agency in which the family is involved in make a referral to this program What is an extraordinary service?
An extraordinary service response is typically required when working with hillier with complex special needs, therefore, it is likely that an Intensive Service Coordinator’s functions will be different from family to family based on the needs and goals expressed by the family and service providers and the level of complexity of the situation. There are, however, some things that you can expect to see when an SIS is involved. What is involved with Intensive Service Co- ordination?
Case Conferences: The Intensive Service Coordinator will organize and facilitate regular case conferences with the child/youth (if age appropriate and lord able to participate), family and all of the service providers. Case Conferences typically last from 1 to 2 hours and may be more frequent at the beginning of the service. The Case Conferences serve to identify goals and to work towards the completion of an integrated service plan. The SIS will follow along to ensure that commitments made are being kept and that the Integrated Service Plan is reviewed in case alternate strategies are needed.
Depending on the system level complexities the Intensive Service Coordinator may organize meetings that involve only service providers. If an extraordinary service response decision deeds to be made the Intensive Service Coordinator may request that an agency decision maker attends the case conference along with the front line worker. Integrated Service Plan: Once goals have been identified by the family and the team, they are organized into a plan called an Integrated Service Plan. This is a formal plan of service that is developed by all service providers and families involved.
The result is a single plan that promotes the integration and flexible use of resources to meet the unique needs of the child/youth. It outlines responsibilities, timeliness and expected service outcomes. It is the service team’s overall plan that guides the delivery of all services and supports to the child/ youth and family. What are the risks and benefits to this program? Just like a medical procedure you are entitled to understand any risks and benefits of Service Coordination. Clients are encouraged to ask questions to ensure complete understanding.
Clients will be asked to sign consent for service which indicates that you have been informed and understand the risks and benefits of the service you are receiving. Critical Reflection Risks: To develop an integrated service plan the needs of a child and a family ill need to be discussed with a supportive team which may elicit difficult or distressing emotions. Working within a team with potentially many professionals present may be uncomfortable. At all times, the parent has the right to discuss a topic or to terminate Intensive Service Coordination.
Benefits: The cornerstone of Intensive Service Coordination is the collaborative relationship that develops with the members of the team. Full and active participation of all members of the team, child/youth, family and service providers is required to achieve desired results. The team is often a multi-disciplinary, cross-sector’s team which may exult in the child and family receiving a more comprehensive service.
