Fundamentals of Case Management Practice: Skills for the Human Services

This book/workbook is a step-by-step guide through the case management process, from intake and assessment to referrals and termination. The fifth edition focuses on what is most important for readers to consider, document, and pass along in each step of the human services process. Chapters walk readers through each step of the case management process, while realistic exercises drawn from active professionals expose readers to a broad range of true-to-life circumstances and difficulties.

Table of Contents:
Section 1: FOUNDATIONS FOR THE BEST PRACTICE IN CASE MANAGEMENT. 1. Case Management: Definition and Responsibilities. 2. Ethics and Other Professional Responsibilities for Human Service Workers. 3. Applying the Ecological Model: A Theoretical Foundation for Human Services. Section 2: USEFUL CLARIFICATIONS AND ATTITUDES. 4. Cultural Competence. 5. Attitudes and Boundaries. 6. Clarifying Who Owns the Problem. Section 3: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION. 7. Identifying Good Responses and Poor Responses. 8. Listening and Responding. 9. Asking Questions. 10. Bringing Up Difficult Issues. 11. Addressing and Disarming Anger. 12. Collaborating with People for Change. 13. Putting It All Together: Exercises. Section 4: MEETING CLIENTS AND ASSESSING THEIR STRENGTHS AND NEEDS. 14. Documenting Initial Inquiries. 15. The First Interview. 16. Social Histories and Assessment Forms. 17. Using the DSM. 18. The Mental Status Examination. 19. Receiving and Releasing Information. Section 5: DEVELOPING A PLAN WITH A CLIENT. 20. Developing a Service Plan at the Case Management Unit. 21. Preparing for a Service Planning Conference or Disposition Planning Meeting. 22. Making the Referral and Assembling the Record. 23. Documentation and Recording. Section 6: MONITORING SERVICES AND FOLLOWING THE CLIENT. 24. Monitoring the Services or Treatment. 25. Developing Goals and Objectives at the Provider Agency. 26. Terminating the Case.

About the Author :
Nancy Summers is an emeritus professor at Harrisburg Area Community College, where she has served as department chair. Summers was the director of public education for a mental health system and has worked with numerous agencies to provide training, improve services and assist with an internal reorganization. She remains actively in touch with numerous professionals in a wide variety of programs and recently published work on the supervision of the less experienced human services worker. She is currently on the board of trustees at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

Review :
"This is an excellent text that covers all the basics of case management in a very usable and applicable format. Case histories, exercises, and the accompanying CD are very helpful." "This text is an integrative guide that describes the complexities of case management in an engaging manner. A great text for courses that train professionals to deal with case management issues."