Case management (mental health)
Case management is the coordination of community-based services by a professional or team to provide people the quality mental health care that is customized accordingly to an individual's setbacks or persistent challenges and aid them to their recovery. Case management seeks to reduce hospitalizations and support individuals' recovery through a holistic approach that considers each person's overall biopsychosocial needs without making disadvantageous economic costs. As a result, care coordination includes traditional mental health services but may also encompass primary healthcare, housing, transportation, employment, social relationships, and community participation. It is the link between the client and care delivery system.
Development
The case management model developed in the US was a response to the closure of large psychiatric hospitals and initially for provision of services which enhances the quality of life without the need for direct patient care or contact. Clinical or therapeutic case management then developed as the need for the mental health professional to establish a therapeutic relationship and be actively involved in clinical care, often in this only the personal and interpersonal resources are utilized. The process involved can be cyclical because of its client-centered nature. According to the American Association on Mental Retardation "Case Management is an ongoing process that consists of the assessment of wants and needs, planning, locating and securing supports and services, monitoring and follow-along. The individual or family is the defining force of this service coordination process."A more active form of case management is present in assertive community treatment, this provides a holistic and integrated approach in psychiatric case management with coordinated services that promote increased wellness for the management's population. This form of management is a part of managed care systems and often falls in legal trouble for coerced care, others include health maintenance organizations, point-of-service plans, and preferred provider arrangements.
Functions
Case management is about engaging the clients in a process, not processing clients. Hence, Rose and Moore in 1995 defined the following as case management functions:- Outreach or identification of clients
- Assessment of individual needs
- Service or Care planning
- Plan implementation
- Progress monitoring
- Regular review and Termination
The case manager becomes an effective facilitator or enabler by use of self, understanding the social systems, the etiology of needs, and functioning of the clients. Moore in 1990s said that a case manager should possess the clinical skills of a psychotherapist and the advocacy skills of a community organizer. A client record is maintained by the case manager for effective delivery of services per agency policy. Newer forms of record keeping involve using checklist and scan sheets for decentralized and statistical outcome management. Others who have explained the functions and tasks of a case manager are Grube & Chernesky, 2001; Mather & Hull, 2002; and Vourlekis & Green, 1962.
Models
Several models of case management emerged to coordinate care for individuals with different assessment and re-assessments involved. These models differ in their approach to care, frequency of contact, the number of professionals and referrals involved. In addition, outcome evaluation is typically used to assess the effectiveness of treatment interventions. Researchers have developed fidelity measures to assess the implementation of a particular case management model.A 2010 review shows the following similarities and differences in different models of case management with regards to the way they operate:
| Model | Developed | Focus | Case manager | Client | Fidelity measure |
| Brokerage Model | Connect client to services | Individual | Individual | ||
| Clinical Case Management | Involve case manager in treatment | Individual | Individual | ||
| Assertive Community Treatment | Reduce hospitalizations | Multidisciplinary team, 10–12 members | Individual | ||
| Intensive Case Management | Reduce hospital and emergency service use | Individual | Individual | ||
| Personal Empowerment Model / Strengths Model | 1980s | Client abilities and interests | Individual | Individual | Strengths Model Fidelity Scale |
| Rehabilitation Model | Client goals, disability rehabilitation plan | Individual | Individual | ||
| Individual Case Management | Individual | Individual | |||
| Team Case Management | Team | Individual | |||
| Cluster Case Management | Mutual support | Individual with optional assistant | Group |