Case Management free essay sample

While the case manager is responsible for the process of treatment, the ultimate outcome lies with the client. Case management was developed in the late 1960’s early 1970’s by mental health and social service workers to provide services to the criminal justice population (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999). The primary purpose of case management is to enable juveniles to use their natural strengths and resources to achieve their goals. Since family is a fundamental element of a young persons support system, they are also included in the treatment process. Family members need just as much help as the juveniles most times. However, there are other key factors in the process of reducing juvenile delinquency. Such as, juvenile courts, schools, police, and community- based programs. Case management is defined as ways to utilize resources geared toward meeting the needs of its clients. Case management is multi-faceted. The process of treatment includes: accessing client needs, finding services, developing a plan of care, monitoring client progress, modifying the treatment plan as needed, and being there with them through every step of the way(Wraparound, N/A). The main objective is to improve the functioning of the juvenile by providing quality services in an efficient manner; the goals are to guide the juvenile and their family through the course of service providers (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999). By empowering juveniles to use their strengths and resources, the system hopes to reduce recidivism and relapse (Roberts, 2004). The three models of case management are: strength-based, assertive, and mixed model. Each model has its own approach in how is used. The first model discussed is strength-based which was introduced in the 1980s. Typically, this model begins with an assessment of the individuals strengths that can be used to face the problems they are facing. This model is passive and is based on the premise that the client will recognize their own strengths and build on them through treatments and service plans (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999). Even when they are opposed to help they possess a psychological self wisdom that can cause them to discover for themselves their inner strengths. This will help to make significant improvements in facing lifes challenges. The second model discussed of case management is the assertive model. This approach is more aggressive. When this model of care is used, the majority of services are provided outside of an office setting and they will even go as far as finding them at their homes or in neighborhoods (Roberts, 2004). As a result, an emphasis is placed on outreach and relationship building through the communities. The third model is the mixed model which is a combination of the other two models. This approach is for the case manager to take on a therapeutic role. This model is the most common of the three models because it allows the case manager to better deal with the individual personalities and needs of their clients. Each juvenile is different and requires different service that others may not require. Case management does not just require education and counseling. There are six basic elements that will support a successful juvenile justice case management: Case assessment and classification, Case planning, Performance of services, Monitoring and enforcement of supervision and treatment, Recordkeeping, and case closure. These elements are exactly how they sound. It is a process that has different steps to achieve the highest success goals. The first part case assessment and classification is trying to figure out the youth’s position based on his needs to find the right resources to help the individual overcome. The second element is case planning. This part is when the individual’s needs are planned out based on the situation he/she was in and figuring out the fix it plan. The third part is performance of services. This entails which plan will be best based on the youths needs. I say this because each case may be similar but will require different training to help the individual succeed. The fourth part of the process is Monitoring and enforcement of supervision and treatment. I see this as being the trial and error. The individual is watched starting day zero and is continued to look at while participating. This will help to see if the individual is changing for the good or is there another approach that might help them succeed more. The fifth part is recordkeeping. This is where everything the individual goes through is documented to see where the individuals is improving throughout the process and where they might not be improving. The last part is case closure. This part either is where a celebration is made for the individual or where they say the individual might need more assistance to help him/her get to the celebration phase (Roberts, 2004). All parties involved with a certain case need to work together weather they work in the same place or not. The individual’s outcome is not only is their hands, but it is also in the hands of the case manager. The process needs to be captured before, during, and after. This will help the case manager with every step of the process to rehabilitate the individuals where they do not relapse. To stop a problem before it starts or so a juvenile does not go down the wrong track again. Intensive monitoring is a must for clients with substance abuse problems. and may consist of frequent drug or alcohol testing (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999) . Over time, more responsibility for avoiding relapse should be given to the client, therefore, less monitoring may be required. The process of evaluation ensures that the plan for the individuals is being followed. Reports from service providers and family members as well as program attendance and recidivism are factors that can be used to determine the success of treatment. There are other factors that can also be used to determine the success of the care plan. The quality of service delivery is a main part to have success. Knowing someone is there for them can mean the world to some of the individuals. It wasnt until the early 1900s that there was an issue with juveniles and mental health cases. This led to the creation of the Child Guidance Movement. From this movement came the creation of clinics which collaborated with the juvenile courts to provide much needed help to both troubled juveniles and their families (Roberts, 2004. Although there seems to be a lack of trained mental health professionals in the juvenile justice system, there are a number of screening tools that can be useful even for untrained staff. The Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument and the Brief Symptom Inventory (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999) are tools used to measure distress and psychological symptoms of youth entering the system. Parents, teachers, juvenile courts and other service providers are a valuable source of background information regarding problems or symptoms the juvenile may be experiencing. Because of the valuable information each source can provide, they are an important part of the treatment team. Various studies have led to some clear cut methods of reducing delinquency and alleviating the symptoms of mental illness among juveniles. Among these methods are the effective treatment approaches. These approaches are best when used with at- risk juveniles who have yet to become involved with the juvenile justice system. They also need to take place at more than one level and address all of the risk factors. The contraindicated treatment approaches include adult facilities, boot camps and incarceration (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999). According to some research, these methods may actually make matters worse for the juvenile and their families (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999). It has been found that incarcerating juvenile in adult facilities only serves to turn them into smarter criminals. Likewise, boot camps not only lack adequate treatment opportunities, they can also become a source of stress and prevent progress. The fight to reduce juvenile delinquency has, over time, involved numerous community-based strategies. One of the most widely recognized of these programs is the Chicago Area Project. Established in 1929, the aim of this program is the prevention of juvenile delinquency by improving life within the community. In order to facilitate these changes, the program recognizes that each community has resources to solve its own problems. Community organizing, direct services and advocacy are used to empower communities and their natural leaders to work together to improve life within the neighborhood. By using neighborhood centers, recreational facilities, or educational centers, the project is working to empower formerly impoverished neighborhoods to develop leaders within the community, assess needs and develop plans to meet these needs, improve the educational and vocational skills of local youth, demonstrate financial independence, and create a network of agencies to meet the needs of the community (About Chicago Area Project) . Currently, the project is using a number of programs to fight delinquency in what can be considered delinquent neigborhoods. Founded in 1961, the New York City Mobilization for Youth has become the model for several federally funded youth programs (Roberts, Mobilization for Youth, 2004) . While geared toward low income minority groups living in slum neighborhoods, this project continues to serve a diverse population of New York residents. Like the Chicago Area Project, it is a collection of action programs with an emphasis on improving areas of life such as community organization, education, employment, and group service. Yet another delinquency prevention project was Bostons Midcity Project. Created in the 1950s, this project served the lower-class neighborhoods of Boston (Roberts, Bostons Midcity Project (1954-1957), 2004) . This project adopted a total community approach and was aimed at improving three specific areas of life: the family, the gang, and the community. An emphasis was put on working with gangs. The Midcity project was unique among the other juvenile projects in that it used professional social workers, each worker was assigned to one particular group and worked with that group for an extended period of time. Workers also had regular access to psychiatric professionals. Bostons Midcity Project an evaluation of the program showed results that do not set standards. In fact only one area showed any improvement-school oriented behavior. Other areas such as major offenses among young males showed the largest increase. Because it did not deliver the desired results, the project ended in 1957 (Case Management in the Criminal Justice System, 1999) (Roberts, 2004). To close an Army Physical Training formation there are three easy steps. Attention, Assemble to the right, march, and fall out. I continue to compare the army with case management. At the end of the road with a case it should be smooth from dealing with all the previous steps beforehand. With the right commands and the correct heart these individuals can lead a successful life to become great mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and overall good people. Remember, time is not of the essence when dealing with case management. It is a step by step process that when ran correctly has good endings.