Understanding the Case Management Model: Principles & Intervention
Case Management Model
The case management model’s origin is linked to the rise of social services and social work agencies. This model emerged in response to concerns about the quality, volume, and distribution of social resources, aiming to make professional practice more effective, efficient, and economical.
Conceptual Content of the Model
This model aims to assist people in resolving their problems at all levels of intervention, including program planning, policy development, organizational structure, and support.
The case management model recognizes the uniqueness of individuals and believes that services should meet the needs of the situation and the time, as the potential and needs of customers may change. The level of support should conform to the degree of deficit and aim to motivate a person to function independently, recognizing their determination, courage, and dignity. This clinical intervention provides continuous support to people with problems and integrates brokerage and advocacy, core tenets of social work.
It is aimed at those who require community service or long-term support, covering economic, health, social, and personal needs, and generates a less restrictive environment through intervention. This model requires the use of a functional capacity assessment of the user and the level of support provided by their network to determine the appropriate level of attention.
Nature of the Intervention
The intervention influences both the user’s system and the organization’s system. It involves implementing a plan for an event or user and carrying out administrative tasks related to formal services and community resources. Techniques and intervention phases depend on the level at which action is taken. Different versions of application exist, but the approach proposed by the National Association of American Social Workers (NASW) is noteworthy.
From this perspective, the social worker should support the user’s interests and ensure their involvement in all phases of practice. The social worker must also respect the user’s right to privacy and confidentiality, providing direct service at the user level and enhancing existing services and improving access to them at the service systems level. Professional knowledge about available community resources and their costs is desirable for proper work, and fiscal responsibility is crucial when performing all case management functions and activities. Finally, participation in assessment activities and quality assurance of both the service delivery system and the service provided by the case manager is essential.
The Worker-Person Relationship
The relationship between the professional and the user is based on self-determination. The case manager should support users in making fundamental decisions about the choice of services.
It’s also important to involve the individual in identifying needs and making decisions, acting on their behalf only if the person has been declared incompetent. Moreover, this relationship must be characterized by responsibility for certain case management tasks. In this way, the user and their families are mobilized, allowing them to use their skills and abilities, motivating and encouraging the person, and giving them more control and responsiveness over the services and supports they are receiving.