WIA YOUTH PROGRAM

1. WIA YOUTH PROGRAM Case Management

2. Case Management • Case management is a youth-centered, goal-oriented process for assessing needs of youth for particular services to meet educational & employment goals & assisting youth in obtaining those services. There is no single model to organize case management for a youth development system. Sometimes there is a person everyone can point at & say, “That is Marsha’s case manager & he/she meets with Marsha on a regular basis”. In most cases, case management activities are distributed across programs & staff.

3. Case Management • The model will depend on how the youth’s education and workforce readiness services are delivered, the level of collaboration among key organizations, staff capacity, & to some extent, technology & organizational infrastructure

4. Case Management(Concepts) • Comprehensive & youth-centered • Development of Individual Service Strategy (ISS) • Mutual respect between youth & case manager • Requires partnerships at youth’s level • Involves youth’s family & significant others • Relates youth’s actions to outcomes • Integrated & coordinated • Case manager & youth must be accountable • Involves flexibility & creative problem-solving • Requires partnerships at system level

5. Case Management(Principles) • Some of the key principles embedded in effective case management services include: • Social group work as a method for attaining both individual & system goals • Maintaining ethical standards at all times • Focusing on relationship - building trust when working with youth • Always remaining sensitive to ethnicity & diversity • Incorporating youth development practices in all aspects of case management

6. Case Management(case manager) • A case manager is an: • Advocate • Coordinator • Broker • Colleague & collaborator • Consultant • Counselor • Evaluator • Planner • Problem solver • Record keeper

7. Case Management(Case Manager) • Eight pitfalls for case managers to avoid • Inappropriate expectations • Need to control • Accepting poor work • Rescuing youth • Getting even • Giving up • Getting angry • Using payoffs too frequently

8. Case Management(Recognition Systems) • To spur achievement among youth, a recognition system must be: • Measurable - must acknowledge tangible behaviors or achievements • Know the youth - what the reward is & how to achieve it • Built around a desirable prize - not necessarily something expensive, but something that is inherently prized or difficult to get otherwise • Frequent - offering lots of small rewards rather that one large reward

9. Case Management(Recognition) • Sample milestones for recognition • Perfect attendance • Most improvement • Positive attitude • Completion of training • Completion of GED or HSED • Student of the week and/or month • Certificate of completion • Personal note • Letter of reference to employer

10. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Record keeping is an essential component of case management. Records are used to documents & retain information about youth, about the process & progress of the services being provided. Individual records are used in planning, implementing, & evaluating services. In addition, the case record is a focal point for accountability to funding, & the youth-services profession in general. Record keeping is both a helping & administrative function.

11. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Uses for records • Need/problem identification • Worker interactions • Service documentation • Case continuity • Communications with others delivering services • Supervision, consultation & peer review • Monitoring & evaluation • Administrative decision making

12. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Requirements for adequate record keeping • Writing skills, (spelling, diction, punctuation, sentence structure & composition • Organized support (adequate clerical services, time & equipment • Explicit standards & procedures

13. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Qualities of staff needed for structured record keeping • Assume more responsibility • Organized • Effective planner • Good writer • Pleasant personality • Ethical • Patient • Assertive

14. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Guidelines - record keeping decision making • What are the functions of the record? • How will the information be used? • What content & structure will fulfill these functions best? • What is the scope of accountability to youth, organizations, communities, funding agencies & the professional community • Records need to be both efficient & sufficient

15. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Guidelines for recording keeping decision making (continued) • How can the record best represent the essential elements of services, purpose, plan process & progress? • Who will have access to the records or information in the records? • How can the content, access & use of the record be limited to protect the youth’s privacy?

16. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Guidelines for record keeping decision making (continued) • How will record affect the youth if the wrong person gains access to record? • Is there a customary form or structure for record? • Will use of record be facilitated by adhering to a common format? • How can costs of record keeping be minimized?

17. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Strategies for maintaining high standards for case files • Management team provide written description of standards for case notes & case file managers • Stress importance of record keeping • Set aside a specific time weekly to update files • Enter case notes immediately after talking with youth on phone or in person

18. Case Management(Record Keeping) • Case notes • Outcome - was the purpose of the meeting achieved? • Were other objectives realized? • Impressions & assessment • Plans for future intervention • Describe context • Purpose of interview • Observation (appearance, seating & the way the youth presents themselves