What is Case Management?
Case management is a solution-focused, non-clinical approach to assisting students with various needs. Case managers (CM) focus on what students can accomplish to find success regardless of their previous circumstances. Helping students solve problems effectively by identifying solutions and developing skills to make progress is the backbone of case management.
Higher education case management services are defined as activities and engage methods of connecting distressed students to appropriate campus or community services. Case managers serve the university and individual students by arranging, coordinating, monitoring, evaluating, and advocating for students who are identified and in need of assistance.
Case management utilizes effective communication and available resources to promote effective outcomes of improving the student’s experiences. It is a professional and collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates the options and services to meet individual needs. Case managers can enhance services while maintaining the student’s basic privacy and safety through advocacy and adherence to ethical, legal, and regulatory standards or guidelines, while ensuring that the care provided is safe, effective, student-centered, timely, efficient, and equitable.
- First year students struggling with their transition to college
- Students who have mental health struggles that interrupt daily life or quality of life
- Those who need support engaging in the campus community
- Students seeking skill building support
- Students who have a variety of challenges which may impact their success and wellbeing
- Student who may need assistance in accountability, organization, or follow through on important tasks
The primary goal of case management is to optimize the student’s functioning by providing quality services in the most efficient and effective way to individuals with multiple complex needs. Case management rests on a foundation of values, knowledge, theory, and skills used to attain goals established with the student. Such goals may include:
- Enhancing developmental, problem-solving, and coping capacities of students.
- Creating and promoting effective and humane operation systems that provide resources and services to people.
- Linking students with systems that provide them with resources, services, and opportunities.
- Enhancing the K-State student experience and promote student success in the classroom and in life.
- Upon referral the CM will reach out to the student via email, introducing themselves and providing information for scheduling an appointment. If the first general outreach is unsuccessful, CM’s will contact a phone number listed for the student.
- The CM and the student will meet for their initial meeting where the student will have the opportunity to inform them on any issues or concerns. CM’s will then provide more details about the case management process and future planning. If any immediate resources are needed, CM will provide the student with information to the direct source.
- In the second meeting, CM’s will work to goal plan with the student and begin discussing action steps.
- The CM will then continue to schedule meetings with the student to follow up on current steps and encourage the student to continue their progress with assistance, collaboration, and connecting resources. The student controls the frequency of the appointments.
Questions about the Case Management services? Please reach out to Stef Delatorre (ecarrillodlt@ksu.edu) or Kayleigh Smith (kayleighs@ksu.edu) via email.
