Case Management Sessions

1. Engagement

The initial meeting, or the initial engagement, is a delicate affair, so it usually takes place via email or a phone call. This is an opportunity for the case manager to see if the client would be an appropriate fit for them. They should be asking questions about what the client’s goals are and what specifically they need help with. These questions are not designed to be difficult or emotive but rather to form a simple introduction between the case manager and the client. If the client seems to be in need of the case manager’s services, they will arrange a face to face meeting.

2. Assessment

At the first face to face meeting, the assessment will build rapport between the client and their case manager. This assessment is meant to cover the extensive history of the client’s issues and their history with substance use disorder. Identifying the client’s strengths, as well as the barriers that prevent them from living a healthy life, are key to the assessment stage. It can take place wherever the client is most comfortable, whether that be at home or at our facility. The case manager may also choose to speak with family and friends of the client, with the client’s permission, to get a better sense of the client. This is not meant to cross any sort of boundaries that the client has identified but is only meant to serve as a tool for getting to know the client even better.

3. Planning and Goal Setting

The planning process will explore the full range of goals and establish a specific set of goals with the client in regard to their rehabilitation journey. By maximizing the client’s strengths and minimizing the barriers to freedom from substance use disorder, this stage aims to develop a realistic plan based around the information from the assessment. The case manager’s thorough note taking from the assessment stage will prove very useful during this next phase. The goals will clearly state the needs and desired outcomes of the client and list the expected changes they hope to see occur. A timeline for the recovery process and goals will also be outlined.

4. Implementation

This stage is where the list of goals and the overall plan will be put to use in the client’s life. The case manager may arrange for additional services such as group therapy, one to one therapy, or a range of other helpful complementary methods. In this collaborative process, the case manager may refer the client to other professionals for additional services like the ones mentioned above. In the implementation stage the client will be able to see the progress that arises from the case manager’s recommendations.

5. Monitoring and Coordination

After the delicate and careful planning process, it is the case manager’s duty to continue to monitor the client’s progress in regard to their rehabilitation journey. The services delivered to the client will come in a timely and logical fashion that is coordinated by the case manager, who will be watching their progress every step of the way. Monitoring and coordination are ongoing processes which will continue for the remainder of treatment.

6. Review and Analysis

Although the general goal of rehabilitation is to focus on the future, this stage will allow the client and case manager to look back together on how far they have come. By tracking the progress altogether, rather than step by step, the client can marvel at the amount of progress they have made and feel empowered as a result. There will be a discussion based around the goals that have been achieved, the goals that are yet to be achieved, and the ongoing improvement they hope to see going forward. The case manager may discuss a reduction in their involvement with the client’s recovery process if sufficient progress has been made.

7. Termination

This is where the formal relationship between the case manager and the client ends, in the form of an exit interview. There may be a list of referrals and recommendations provided by the case manager to the client for future services. The case manager should also outline goals for the client that can be outlined to provide opportunities for ongoing improvement.