Section 2: Developing a Case Management Plan

Assessment in case management is a dynamic and ongoing process that is not simply an information-gathering exercise. It is a collaborative process that includes the active involvement of the client so that they feel listened to and that their concerns and needs are thoroughly understood.

Just like in counselling, when a client feels as though they have a voice and have decision-making power within the relationship, they are more likely to follow through with the case management plan and achieve positive outcomes.

Information gathered throughout the assessment phase can be collected from a number of sources. For example, if the client has been referred by another practitioner, the referral paperwork should give some information regarding the client’s presenting concern and the reasons for the referral.

However, when receiving information from sources other than the client, it is important to keep an open mind and hold this information lightly. Client circumstances can change rapidly, and it is important to check the validity of information with the client.

Each organisation has its own process for assessment. Some organisations utilise questionnaires prior to the initial assessment interview; some may have a specific intake officer who conducts an assessment interview before a suitable case manager is assigned, while other organisations start the process with a meeting between the client and their case manager.

Regardless of the method for initial assessment, the goal is always the same – to explore the client’s concerns, the impact of these concerns on all aspects of the client’s life, the client’s motivation to change, and the client’s strengths and resources in addressing these concerns.

As Summers (2016) outlines, case managers are interested in exploring these aspects of the client’s situation in order to develop an initial understanding of the client’s needs:

• The client’s problem and the background to that problem
• The client’s current situation including any statutory mandates applying to the client
• The client’s psychosocial background (this includes developing an understanding of the client’s psychological status, legal history, relationships, work history and level of education)
• What is required to help the client resolve their problem and stabilise their current situation
• What strengths and abilities the client has (both internally and in their environment) that they can draw on to help resolve the problem.

History of clients

Collecting a comprehensive history from clients is crucial in establishing a strong foundation for therapeutic engagement. Client history is integral for developing a sensitive, individualised, and effective approach to counselling.

Establishing rapport and cultural sensitivity

• Gathering basic demographic information, including age, gender, cultural background, and socioeconomic status, helps in understanding the client's identity and background.
• Facilitates the establishment of rapport by demonstrating cultural sensitivity and respect for individual differences. Understanding family dynamics:
• Exploring the client's family structure and dynamics provides insights into potential sources of support or conflict.
• Identifying familial influences helps in understanding the client's social context and relational patterns.

Exploring educational and employment history

• Understanding the client's educational and employment history provides insights into their life experiences and stressors.
• Allows counsellors to contextualise the client's current challenges and aspirations. Examining relationship histories:
• Delving into past and present relationships, both familial and interpersonal, helps identify patterns, attachment styles, and potential sources of relational challenges.
• Provides a foundation for addressing relational issues within the therapeutic process.

Assessing mental health history

• Examining the client's mental health history, including previous therapeutic interventions, informs the counselling approach and ensures continuity of care.
• Allows for an understanding of the client's coping strategies and resilience.

Exploring cultural, spiritual, or religious beliefs

• Encouraging clients to share their unique cultural, spiritual, or religious beliefs is crucial for tailoring therapeutic interventions.
• Facilitates the incorporation of the client's values into the therapeutic process.

Subjective experience and goal exploration

• Thorough exploration of the client's presenting issues, feelings, and perspectives helps counsellors understand the context and triggers for seeking assistance.
• Identifying the client's strengths, coping mechanisms, and resilience fosters a positive and empowering therapeutic relationship.

Client-centred treatment planning

• Assessing the client's goals and expectations allows counsellors to collaboratively establish realistic and client-centred treatment plans.
• Ensures that interventions align with the client's unique needs and aspirations.

A note on collecting history of diverse client populations

Recognising and valuing the diverse histories of clients is paramount to cultivating meaningful therapeutic relationships. The collection of comprehensive client history serves as the bedrock for tailoring counseling approaches that are sensitive, individualised, and efficacious. This is particularly crucial when working with diverse populations, each with unique experiences and backgrounds that shape their worldview.

Considerations can include the following. 

Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD)

• Demographic Information: Age, gender, cultural background, and socioeconomic status to understand the client's identity and background.
• Cultural and Linguistic Sensitivity: awareness of cultural nuances, language preferences, and customs to establish rapport and demonstrate respect for individual differences.
• Family Dynamics: exploration of family structure and dynamics within the cultural context to identify potential sources of support or conflict.
• Educational and Employment History: understanding the client's educational and employment background within the context of their cultural experience.
• Relationship Histories: exploring past and present relationships within the cultural framework to identify patterns, attachment styles, and potential sources of relational challenges.
• Mental Health History: examining the client's mental health history, considering cultural factors that may influence perceptions of mental health and help-seeking behavior.
• Cultural, Spiritual, or Religious Beliefs: encouraging clients to share unique cultural, spiritual, or religious beliefs to tailor therapeutic interventions accordingly.
• Subjective Experience and Goal Exploration: thorough exploration of cultural context in presenting issues, feelings, and perspectives to understand the client's unique challenges within their cultural background.
• Client-Centred Treatment Planning: collaboratively establishing realistic and culturally sensitive treatment plans aligned with the client's unique needs and aspirations.

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander People

Consider all aspects mentioned above with specific attention to the cultural and historical context of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

People with Disability

• Disability-Specific Demographics: understanding the nature of the disability, age of onset, and its impact on daily life. 
• Accessibility and Accommodations: identifying accessibility needs and necessary accommodations for effective counselling. 
• Family Dynamics and Support Systems: exploring how the disability interacts with family dynamics and the availability of support systems.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex (LGBTI)

• Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity: gathering information about sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression.
• Coming Out and Relationship Histories: exploring experiences related to coming out, past and present relationships, and potential sources of challenges within the LGBTI community.
• Community and Social Support: identifying community connections and social support within the LGBTI community.

People Experiencing or at Risk of Homelessness

• Housing History: understanding the client's history of housing, including experiences of homelessness or housing instability.
• Trauma and Challenges: exploring potential traumatic experiences related to homelessness or housing insecurity.
• Resource Availability: assessing the availability of resources and support networks.

Older People

• Life History and Experiences: gathering information about the client's life history, experiences, and challenges specific to aging.
• Health and Mobility: assessing physical health, mobility, and potential impact on mental well-being.
• Social Isolation and Support: exploring social connections, support systems, and potential issues of social isolation.

Children and Young People

• Developmental History: understanding the child's or young person's developmental milestones and challenges.
• Family and Peer Relationships: exploring dynamics within family and peer relationships, as well as potential sources of stress.
• Education and Aspirations: understanding the educational background, aspirations, and challenges in the context of their age. 

In all cases, it's essential for counsellors to approach the collection of client history with cultural competence, sensitivity, and a commitment to creating a safe and inclusive therapeutic space.

A note on taking a strengths-based approach to assessment

 Identifying the strengths and resources that the client possesses is just as important as understanding the challenges they are experiencing. As the client’s story unfolds, look out for indications where they may have demonstrated strengths and abilities in managing and coping with their situations. This will aid the case planning process, too, which involves coordinating resources that the client may access to work towards their goals.

It is also worth noting that there are occasions when other relevant parties such as family members will be involved in the assessment process. For example, a guardian or parent may be involved in the case of a young person, or a client may want to engage a significant support person or carer.

Sometimes it is necessary to incorporate their needs in the client’s case planning as they may be a significant support for the client, or they may be at risk of harm as a consequence of the client’s behaviours. In these cases, it is important to make sure clients are well-informed of how consultation and information sharing will take place, with clarification of what roles a support person, for example, may play in the case management process.

The following extract provides some practical tips for conducting an initial assessment.

Essentially, this process of assessment helps the case manager and client to collaboratively analyse all relevant client information in order to come to an understanding of the client’s current situation, the aspects of the client’s situation that facilitate or inhibit their functioning, and the client’s needs for improving their situation.

Remember that effective assessment is built upon a foundation of positive, supportive relationship with the client, which should remain the focus throughout your work with them.

Strength Based Counselling

Study the following example of a strength-based approach and answer the questions that follow. 

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Once an initial assessment is complete, the first step of the planning process is to help the client prioritise their concerns and to develop goals that work toward addressing these concerns. Case managers work with the client in order to establish the client’s immediate, short-term, and long-term goals.

For example, when developing a plan for a client experiencing homelessness, their immediate needs may include accessing immediate crisis accommodation, food, safety and medical attention, whereas their more long-term goals might include longer-term housing and finding permanent employment.

As clients’ needs and situations vary greatly, you will need to work collaboratively with clients to identify the most appropriate support services to address these needs. This may include a wide range of services, such as:

As case managers typically work with clients within their geographical location, your organisation may have a referral directory that assists case managers with finding appropriate local services. Otherwise, you may want to start a directory, and continuously update it to make sure you are up to date with the range of services available.

WHY Interprofessional Collaborative Practice?

This video briefly covers the outcomes of Interprofessional Collaborative Practice

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Case plans should focus on a small number of primary goals (Summers, 2016). These goals should be specific, measurable and achievable. The following extract provides some additional guidelines on how to establish goals.

The case plan will then detail the steps and interventions required to work toward the client’s goals, the specific roles and responsibilities of those involved, how they will be completed, the timeframe for each step, as well as realistic and agreed indicators of success. It is important for you to develop an understanding of the need for a case plan to be realistic and appropriate to the client’s needs and level of functioning.

When developing a plan, the case manager must ensure that they take into account the client’s current strengths and resources. There is little point in devising a case plan that is excessively optimistic; this may only serve to dishearten or discourage a client’s efforts.

However, unchallenging goals may unwittingly convey to the client that your expectations for them are very low. This would also negatively influence the client’s motivation. In the same way as assessment, planning is also a continuous and fluid process that adapts to the ongoing and changing needs of the client.

Case planning processes also acknowledge the fact that client needs are often best served through collaboration with specialised services. It is important to develop a specific case plan because it helps focus the client and service providers, sets out the specific work that will be completed, helps set the boundaries around service provision, and stipulates the responsibilities of all stakeholders.

Different agencies/organisations will have their own format for case management plans; however, as Woodside and McClam (2013) state, they typically include reference to:

• The immediate needs of the client
• The client’s desired goals
• The objectives (that is the actions that need to be taken to meet goals)
• Who will be involved in each action
• The target time frame to complete each action
• A date to review the case management plan.

The following extract provides some useful information on the practical concerns of planning:

Core Principles of Case Planning

When developing a case management plan, keep in mind the following core principles:

Ensure the goals are negotiated and agreed upon with the client

When developing a case plan, the likelihood of success is significantly greater in cases where clients have had an active role in the development of goals. A client needs to feel ownership of their goals to be motivated enough to work toward meeting the goals. Therefore action plans should always reflect goals that have been negotiated and agreed upon in collaboration with the client.

Use a range of strategies to address goals and to maximise participation in the plan

Meeting goals is not always an easy process; therefore, case plans should include a number of possible strategies to address each goal. The more strategies included, the more likely that the client will be successful in meeting that goal. Again, in the same way that clients are more likely to succeed in meeting their goals when they participate in the goal-setting process, clients are more likely to participate in the plan where they have been actively involved in developing the strategies to address each goal. The development of a range of strategies increases the chance for client participation in the plan and the chances of goal achievement.

Incorporate realistic and agreed indicators for success and enhance personal responsibility

In the same way that goals should be realistic, indicators for success must also be realistic. When developing a case plan with a client, it is important to determine how the client and the case manager will know if the plan is being successful. For example, if you are working with an anxious client who reports that she has reached a point of such severe anxiety that she only leaves the house once every few weeks, an indicator of success might be that she is getting out of the house at least once per week.

An unrealistic indicator of success might be that she is getting out of the house every day. While this may be the ultimate goal for this client, it would be unrealistic to suggest that the plan is successful only when she reaches her ultimate goal. In doing so, the client and case manager may inadvertently overlook smaller improvements and indicators for success. Indicators of success must also be agreed upon by all parties.

Having realistic and attainable goals keeps the client motivated which then encourages them to continue participating in the case plan. Whereas setting unrealistic targets can cause a plan to fail and may lead to the client thinking you do not believe in them, or that they aren’t good enough. A balance must be maintained.

Also, it is important to remember that an underlying goal of case management is enabling clients to take responsibility for their lives, so encouraging them to take personal responsibility can help assist in this long-term goal.

Integrate the expertise of relevant service providers

As a case manager, it is often your responsibility to act as a resource coordinator who links clients with appropriate services based on their identified needs. Therefore, it is important to not only have a good understanding of your clients’ needs, but also a good understanding of the formal and informal services available within the community in order to effectively match your client to appropriate services.

Furthermore, it is important that case managers find the right balance between over-resourcing and under-resourcing the client. For example, the involvement of too many services can be overwhelming for clients or even create a dependence on services. On the other hand, in cases where there are not enough services involved, clients may feel unsupported or have difficulty meeting their needs. Striking the right balance is informed not only by your own professional judgement but also through ongoing consultation with your client.

Sometimes it may be necessary to conduct a formal referral, but other times the client may choose to self-refer. Remember, it is the role of a case manager to support a client’s independence, so it may be more appropriate to allow the client the opportunity to refer themselves wherever possible.

Consider practical factors such as worker experience, workload, and geographical location

The decision on how to plan the specific aspects of service delivery will largely be based upon practical considerations such as the case manager’s experience, current workload, and the availability of relevant services in the local area. For example, if a client needs drug rehabilitation it would be appropriate to refer the client to a specialist rehabilitation service in the local area if the case manager has little experience with such matters.

Alternatively, if the case manager was working for a domestic violence service, they might provide specialist domestic violence support (for example, counselling and assisting a client to apply for a domestic violence order), but might refer the client to other service providers for assistance with identified goals that are outside the scope of their organisation (for example, employment or housing).

When making a referral it is important to first check that the referral organisation is able to actually see the client (for example, that they have openings or available appointments) and that the location of the service is suitable for the client.

Gain agreement on responsibilities for delivery

The responsibility for the delivery of services must be agreed upon by all relevant parties. Therefore, when developing a case plan, the responsibilities of all parties must be clearly outlined and agreed upon. As a case manager, you may be working with a high-functioning individual – such a case may require little involvement on the part of the case manager or other services and most of the responsibility will be on the client.

Alternatively, you may be working with a client requiring intensive case management where they require significant support from services. Whatever the case may be, there must be agreement amongst all relevant parties about what services will be delivered by each party, how they will be delivered, and the boundaries of service delivery. These must all be documented as part of the client’s case management plan.

Respect the rights and responsibilities of the client and other relevant parties

All case plans must respect the rights and responsibilities of the client, the case manager, and all other relevant parties. Case plans must be legal, ethical, and conform to all organisational requirements. There must also be clearly defined role boundaries that help each stakeholder understand what is expected of them, what is expected of others, and what the consequences are if any stakeholder does not fulfil these expectations.

A Note on Techniques to Facilitate Goal Setting

Setting goals with clients can be challenging at times and require a delicate approach, particularly in the case of mandatory case management participation (for example, as part of a court order or statutory requirement) or low motivation for change. In addition to taking a collaborative and strengths-based approach (i.e., using strengths-based questioning and conversation), other techniques that case managers may use to facilitate client’s change include:

• Encourage SMART goals. The acronym “SMART” stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. Starting from smaller, realistic and achievable goals will assist the case manager to stay on track and reinforce the client’s capacity and willingness to achieve.
• Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques. This approach is commonly used in brief interventions to facilitate behavioural changes. Particularly, MI does not force changes upon clients or tell them what to do, but motivates them to develop behaviours more in line with their values and rolling with resistance, understanding that this is a normal part of change. The following table outlines some common MI techniques (Arnott et al., p. 329):

Using Motivational Interviewing Approaches

This video is a good example of how to use motivational interviewing approaches. Answer the questions that follow.

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Implementation is the process of putting the case plan into action. The aim is to help the client achieve their goals and desired outcomes (previously identified in both the assessment and planning phase of the case management process). It should be noted that decisions about case plan implementation should be made in collaboration with the client.

Additionally, if you are ever uncertain about the type or degree of support you should be providing for your client as part of the case management plan, you must always consult your supervisor.

Depending on the client’s needs and the operational processes of the agency/organisation for which you work, the case plan may involve providing the following:

1. A direct service
2. Making a referral
3. Advocating on behalf of the client, or a combination of these.

1. Direct Service Provision

The following extract provides information on the practical concerns involved in providing a direct service to a client:

2. Referral and Service Co-ordination

Referral to external agencies is often required to help clients achieve their goals. As more services become involved, case managers may assume the role of a service coordinator. Where appropriate (and with client consent), it may be useful to ensure that all agencies are aware of each other’s involvement. Doing so may help case managers to identify and reduce any support barriers, gaps, or duplication that may arise. Here are some tips in relation to referral and service coordination:

3. Advocacy

Sometimes clients face structural barriers to accessing services, resources, or entitlements. The process of advocacy involves assisting the client to access services, resources or entitlements. Following is an outline of some tips in relation to advocacy:

It is important that you understand that part of being an advocate for a client is being able to “assertively communicate” the needs of your client to others (for example, other service providers or agencies). Assertiveness is a style of communication where you are able to express your point of view in a manner that is clear and direct but still respects others. Often confused with aggressive communication, assertive communication is neither aggressive nor passive.

For example, imagine that you are supporting a client to access a Centrelink payment and are waiting at the office for an appointment with the Centrelink social worker. You have been waiting for a number of hours and you notice that people who arrived after you and your client are being seen before your client. You approach the person at the front counter and ask how much longer it will be.

The person at the front counter shrugs their shoulders and tells you they have no idea. Following are some examples of different styles of response:

Passive response:

• “Okay, don’t worry about it. We’ll wait as long as needed”.

Aggressive response:

• “That’s just not good enough, we’ve been waiting here for hours and it seems like you don’t even care!”

Assertive response:

• “The reason that I’m asking is that my client and I have been waiting for at least two hours. We have noticed that people who arrived after us are being seen before us. It would be good to know how much longer we will need to wait and whether or not there is a reason why others are being seen before us”.

It is important to note that while assertive communication does not necessarily guarantee a positive result, it will increase the likelihood of a positive result while still respecting the rights of everyone involved. Modelling assertive communication to clients can also support them in developing their assertive communication skills. Doing so can support the client to be independent and to assertively express their needs and rights to others. This is particularly important for those clients who may be disadvantaged due to discrimination or prejudice.

On a broader note, “assertive case management” is the process of providing case management services that work to prevent your client from ‘falling through the gaps’. However, it is also about knowing when to step back so that your client has the opportunity to develop/maintain their independence and self-reliance.

In the same way that assertive communication strikes a balance between aggressive and passive communication, assertive case management finds the balance required so you are neither neglecting your client nor over-involving yourself in their life.

Check your understanding of the content so far!

The implementation phase also involves the ongoing monitoring and review of the case management process. It is important that the case manager establishes specific processes for the monitoring of the case management plan. This involves measures to evaluate client progress and procedures for altering the case plan if needed. Regular contact with both the client and other relevant stakeholders in case management meetings is important. (Case management meetings will be explored in more detail in the next section of this module).

The following extract provides some information on the practical concerns of case reviews:

Any changes to a case plan must be discussed, agreed upon by the client, negotiated with any other key stakeholders, and fully documented. Documentation should note why the change has been made, the current state of goal attainment, what actions have been undertaken (for example, referral to a different service provider), the new expected actions, details on how they will be achieved, the timeframes for these actions, and who is responsible for each action.

Depending upon the scale of the changes, this documentation might involve a note in the case file or even the development of a new action or case plan. Every agency/organisation will have their own specific processes for changes to case documentation and, as always, it will be vital for you to follow your organisation’s policies and procedures.

You will learn more about monitoring and review in the final section of this module.

Inevitably, case managers will sometimes come across complex or high-risk situations when supporting clients. As such, case managers should always plan for and be vigilant about the options and resources they have should situations as such arise. These situations may include occasions when:

• A client is facing a life-threatening situation and/or at risk of violence from others.
• The client poses risks to others (for example, using violence in a relationship, having illegal access to firearms, and threatening the worker).
• A client has a combination of risk factors, such as history of suicide or self-injury, serious or sustained abuse, multiple family difficulties, intellectual or psychiatric disability, or chronic drug dependency.
• The client is involved with a wide range of agencies (for example, community services, legal, medical, and law enforcement agencies).
• The family has been involved with protective or custodial services over an extended period of time.
• The client’s case is highly publicised or politically sensitive.

Clients presenting with complex needs often require sensitive and experienced case management. The communication skills you have learned throughout this Diploma would provide a sound basis for working with clients with complex needs. In such situations, it will be important to take the time to build rapport with the client, demonstrate empathy, and utilise appropriate questioning strategies, summarising, and paraphrasing in order to fully understand the client’s complex situation.

Giving clients the opportunity to be heard and fully understood will go a long way to begin the process of working through some of the complex issues presented by the client. Depending upon the client’s situation, it may be appropriate to seek assistance from other staff or specialist agencies such as mental health services, drug and alcohol counsellors, psychologists, or youth workers. It should also be noted that where you are concerned for the safety of your client or any other person, or simply uncertain about how to proceed because of the complexity of the situation, it is important that you discuss the matter with your supervisor.

When working with clients in high-risk situations, it is important that workers respond in a manner that promotes safety. Skills in risk assessment and management (including safety planning) are also incredibly important. In most organisations, risk assessments take place in the assessment phase and continue throughout the case management process to make sure potential risks are identified and addressed in a timely manner.

For instance, it is a high-risk situation if a client reports frequent and/or intense suicidal thoughts, intent to suicide/die and suicide plans. In this case, the client must be linked with an emergency or mental health crisis service and must not be left alone. Engaging with emergency services (for example, an ambulance, police, specialist mental health teams, or crisis mental health care) is the priority.

Whenever possible, it is advantageous for the client to call and mobilise the emergency assistance, as this supports the client’s autonomy and sense of capability (Geldard, Geldard, & Yin Foo, 2017). However, if the client is unable or unwilling to do this, the worker will need to contact the relevant authority or service.

Each organisation will have their own risk management procedures. If you are ever in doubt as to how to proceed with a particular client, it is always appropriate to discuss the matter with your supervisor. Depending on your organisational context and nature of service, it may also be appropriate to implement the following strategies to reduce unpredictable risks or prevent escalation:

• Work in pairs.
• Carry a duress alarm.
• Use appropriate tools (for example, a home visit safety checklist before visiting clients off-site).
• De-escalation strategies. The following extract from the NSQHS standards provides a summary of de-escalation techniques that can be used in emergency departments and can be adapted to most community service settings.

Assessment and Intervention with Suicidal Clients

This video provides an example of a counsellor dealing with an at risk client. Answer the question that follows. 

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You will learn more about providing support to clients facing risk and crisis situations in CHCCCS019 Recognise and Respond to Crisis Situations. For now, remember that you are never obligated to manage risk situations on your own – instead, follow your organisational guidelines and seek additional support from other colleagues within your organisation and/or emergency services are always recommended.

The following case study has been developed to help you better understand how to develop a case management action plan.

Case Study

Carla is a 30-year-old mother of two sons, aged 7 and 5. Carla reports that her husband, Ron (aged 32) became addicted to methamphetamine approximately 18 months ago and began displaying increasingly erratic behaviours. Approximately two months ago Ron was arrested and charged with drug offences. He was remanded to a drug and alcohol rehabilitation program.

Carla was previously a stay-at-home mother and currently has no income. Without Ron’s salary, she has resorted to credit cards to pay rent and buy food, however, her cards have rapidly hit their credit limit. Carla is also concerned because her sons have been having regular nightmares and demonstrating disruptive behaviours at school. She is worried that their father’s drug addiction and arrest has deeply affected them.

In this example, the case manager is working for a family agency supporting Carla in her overall goals of ensuring the well-being of her sons and parenting as a single mother.

The case manager in the example collaborated with Carla to develop a case management plan. This plan is provided in the following table, and it includes Carla’s most immediate needs in a prioritised order. The plan highlights her goals in these areas, the specific actions to be undertaken, and the person responsible for this action.

It also gives examples of the case manager using their resources to refer Carla to another agency (for example, Paradise Kids) and advocating for the client by contacting resources (for example, RentConnect).

In this case scenario, both Carla and the case manager have action plans. The case manager’s action plan includes:

• Making a referral to a child therapist for an urgent appointment for the children
• Contacting the RentConnect officer to arrange a case management meeting
• Contacting the local employment office to arrange a case management meeting.

Carla’s action plan includes:

• Contacting Paradise Kids to book the next family group therapy session
• Calling the rehabilitation centre to gather information about the procedures for visitation
• Asking her sister to drive her and the children to Ron’s access visit.

When developing this case management plan and the resultant action plans, the case manager carefully considered Carla’s needs and the available services in the area to help support these needs. Remembering that case management should focus on helping clients move towards self-sufficiency, the case manager encouraged Carla to take responsibility for the actions she was capable of (such as making the booking with Paradise Kids and asking her sister for support).

However, the case manager also engaged their coordinator function by using their professional resources to link Carla to other relevant support services (RentConnect and the local employment office). This combination of actions was designed to maximise the likelihood of the plan’s success. However, the client manager would still continue to monitor and adjust the plan as required.

Different agencies and organisations will have their own format for writing case management plans, and it is important for you to be familiar with and comply with your organisational documentation requirements.

Watch

This section of the module explored various aspects and considerations involved in the process of developing of a case management plan. You also learned about some key strategies for managing complex and high-risk situations.

Arnott, G., Bowers, E., & Murray, S. (2020). Delivering person centred services: A case management approach. Cengage.

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. (2018). National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards: User guide for health services providing care for people with mental health issues. https://www.safetyandquality.gov.au/sites/default/files/2019-05/nsqhs-standards-user-guide-for-health-services-providing-care-for-people-with-mental-health-issues_0.pdf

Garvin, C. D. (2009). Developing goals. In A. R. Roberts (Ed.). Social worker’s desk reference (2nd ed., pp. 521-525). Oxford University Press.

Geldard, D., Geldard, K., & Yin Foo, R. (2017) Basic personal counselling (8th ed.) Cengage Learning Australia.

Kate Pascal and Associates. (2018). Embedding a strengths based approach in client conversations. Inclusive Service Specific Assessment and Planning Project. https://www.hwpcp.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/embedding_a_strengths_based_approach_in_client_conversations.pdf

Queensland Council of Social Service. (2014). Planned support guide: An approach to case management. QCOSS.

Summers, N. (2016). Fundamentals of case management practice: Skills for the human services. (5th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Woodside, M. & McClam, T. (2013). Generalist Case Management: A method of human service delivery (4th ed.). Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning.