A case manager needs to develop many skills in order to carry out his or her role efficiently on a service team. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS, 2004), case managers plan and coordinate health and social services to meet the individualized needs of clients. Case managers need to schedule hundreds of appointments with different providers for their clients every week.
Therefore, it is vital for them to be able to manage their time and the time of their clients effectively. Moreover, efficient communication is also an integral part of case management, as these specialists need to discuss numerous matters with all the stakeholders, and without efficient communication, it would take extensive time. Additionally, case managers need to be able to operate on their own and in a team to ensure efficient problem-solving and decision-making. HHS (2004) states that there are almost 200 specific knowledge items, skills, and attitudes associated with providing care to substance abusers. A case manager should master all of them to achieve proficiency.
A special focus should be put on the responsivity principle of case managers described by the National Institute of Correction (NIC, 2004). According to this principle, case managers are to “be responsive to temperament, learning style, motivation, gender, and culture when assigning to programs” (NIC, 2004, p.4). For instance, when assigning a Muslim female to a physician, it would be more appropriate to schedule an appointment with a female specialist. This way, a case manager will provide culture-sensitive services, which is of extreme importance to achieve positive outcomes. However, it should be remembered that even though responsivity is vital, the case manager should adhere to all eight principles of evidence practice for effective interventions (NIC, 2004).
References
National Institute of Correction. (2004). Implementing evidence-based practice in community corrections: The principles of effective intervention. Web.
US Department of Health and Human Services. (2004). Case management for substance abuse treatment: A guide for treatment providers. Rockville, MD: HHS Publications.