For people dealing with mental illness keeping up with daily life demands and responsibilities can become a real challenge. A case manager helps such vulnerable individuals to overcome everyday challenges that impede their recovery.
Their ultimate goal is to promote an optimum level of wellness, self-sufficiency, and successful social reintegration for people recovering from mental illness by providing holistic and coordinated support.
Here are five key roles that mental health case managers perform:
1. Evaluating Client Needs
The first critical role is to know their client inside out and leave no room for information gaps. The mental health case manager assesses the client’s current ability to meet basic needs, the viability of the psychosocial support systems, and their self-care capacity.
Further, the case manager consults the healthcare providers and caregivers to learn about the client’s background and response to previous treatments.
Looking into all the details helps a case manager to create a care plan that is tailored to their client’s unique needs. Case managers provide support that includes finding proper housing, childcare support, transportation, building better family-client relationships, and proper medical care to help their clients live a better quality of life.
2. Coordinating Care
Mental health case managers act as the liaison between the client and the care team. They coordinate the delivery of care across different settings including hospitals, social services, and mental health counseling. The case manager ensures that everybody is working towards the same goals and that the client’s needs and preferences are met.
3. Connecting Clients to Helpful Resources
Mental health case managers connect their clients to valuable networks, knowledge, and resources at their disposal. Such resources may include anything from finding affordable medical insurance, support groups, a nearby food pantry, counseling services, or employment. The goal is to move the client closer toward a lasting and dependable level of self-reliance.
4. Evaluating Care Quality
Tracking and monitoring a client’s progress is crucial to ensure that the ongoing interventions match with their current symptoms and overall condition. The case manager also consults with the client and their support system to record up-to-date information including any behavioral changes and recovery progress milestones. They then share the information with the care team to collaboratively make informed decisions on the next course of action.
5. Advocacy
Mental health case managers also advocate for their clients especially, when they are facing barriers to quality care. They educate the client on their rights and help them to understand their options so they can actively participate in their care and make informed decisions. Case managers can also help resolve conflicts that arise between their client and the care team, legal system, or insurance company.
Contact Answers LLC for Quality Mental Health Case Management Services
If you or your loved one is dealing with a mental illness and needs help to navigate the healthcare and legal system, talk to our experienced case management specialists at Answers LLC. We collaborate with your care team to provide quality case management services that help you overcome everyday challenges and improve your life. Schedule your appointment to get started.
