Case management

1. Case management

2. Why case management? Funding bodies love it- why? It’s ‘purposeful’ It’s in partnership with the client (and other stakeholders)

3. Why case management? It’s ‘client centred’ It’s a learned skill It’s a clear measurement of effectiveness

4. Case management is a creative problem solving approach put into a standard, administrative template which can be followed by anyone who happens to pick up the case file. The best case plans are adaptive, flexible and creative. 

5. What’s in a case file? Case notes Client contact information Referral and Intake Assessment Consent forms and/or medical forms Case plan (and case plan review) Exit plan or exit strategy Other information

6. Case file auditing Easy to read and follow note taking All information included, all forms signed/ dated etc.

7. Case file auditing A case plan which is developed in partnership with the client, dated etc. With creative, achievable and realistic goals and strategies Evidence that the client is progressing toward change

8. Case file auditing Evidence that the client fits the project eligibility criteria Evidence that the case file, case notes and the case plan are inter-related and issues are responded to holistically.

9. Case notes Follow policy What do case notes look like?

10. Case notes Writing case notes MUST be done in a very particular way. This is because your case file (and case notes) will tell a story, and your file can be subpoenaed by court.

11. Case notes Your case file must be legible and coherent. You are accountable for your case file. Your case notes should include a date with every entry, your name at the top of the page (if that's how your organisation does it) and your initials or signature at the end of every entry. Try to write your case notes within three working days of contact with your client. If you can't do that, keep lots of reminder notes in the file and come back to them. 

12. Case notes Don't use an acronym until you've written the full name with the acronym in brackets. Once you've clarified what the acronym means you can use it as many times as you like, but it must be clear to everyone. Don't use liquid paper. If you make a mistake, strike out the error, initial it and write it again.

13. Case notes Don't use liquid paper. If you make a mistake, strike out the error, initial it and write it again. Keep all phone messages and recordings of messages in your case file. Write on one side of the page only, it's too difficult to read if you use both sides. Case files read backwards with the most recent notes on top of the file and older notes underneath. Do not give advice to your client; your role is to offer options and assist the client to choose for themselves.

14. Case notes You speak in the 'third person'. You refer to yourself as 'worker' and you (usually) refer to the client as their first name only. The case file will have their other names, etc. You use language such as, "stated", "explained", "suggested" etc.

15. Case notes You NEVER use a subjective statement. You only ever write objectively; that is, what you've heard, seen etc. Subjectivity is the interpretation of what you see, hear etc.- why?

16. Case noting, finally And finally, if you're referring to another person you would enter their full name and title (if relevant) at the beginning of the entry. Once you've entered their full details you can refer to them by their christian name for the rest of the entry.

17. Client information Also known as contact information Usually at the front of the file- why? What would be included?

18. Referral “We control the referral process”. Why? What would be included in your referral form?

19. Intake assessment Why assess? Who assesses? What tools and forms would you use? What other assessment tools might be necessary?

20. Consent forms When working with young people we sometimes require consent from parents and carers- why? What other forms would you need?

21. Case plan Integral to the case file and the case management process. Why? Case plans have five columns; issues, goals, strategies, responsibilities and time frames

22. Exit plan and exit strategy Completed before the case file is closed and archived. Archiving for 7 years. If the young person is unable to participate in exit planning, what do you do? What ‘evidence’ needs to be included in a closed case file?

23. Other information What else would you need to include?

24. Case plan Issues. Sometimes called ‘context’. Usually identifies what’s going on. Goals. Follows the issues. Goals are short, positive, achievable and measureable. ‘SMART’. Smart, measureable, attainable, realistic, time bound.

25. Goals The issue is that “Jody is sleeping at a friends house and the friend wants her to move out.” What is the goal? How would we phrase it?

26. More goals The issue is that “Michael gets angry when people tease him” and he’s wanting to change his behaviour. What is the goal?

27. One more goal The issue is “Helena is a survivor of sexual assault and she wants to find out if she can press charges” What is the goal? How do we write it?

28. Strategies Strategies are the steps we take to achieve the goal. What strategies would we write for Jody? What strategies would we write for Michael? What strategies would we write for Helena?

29. Time frame Time frame tells us when this strategy is completed. Usually it’s written in month and date, e.g. 07/10 Never use ‘ongoing’ or ASAP. It’s not measureable

30. Responsibility If you’re doing all the work you’re failing to teach your client a valuable life skill. The best case plans are ‘partnered’

31. And finally.. The case plan is central to the case file. Why?