Lesson 20: Effective Case Management: Using these Skills Together

Attention

Over the last few lessons we have learned a variety of skills to improve client communication and empower the client to make decisions autonomously and take action.  In this lesson we will bring those skills together and improve our ability to handle whatever may come up in the client relationship.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to:

  • Combine skills and attitudes to facilitate change.
  • Apply strategies to empower consumers.

Teaching

Bringing it all Together

In this lesson we look at the variety of skills that we have learned to facilitate change.  We started with mirroring acceptance for the client‚s situation today.  Showing interest and care for the client today to open the door for the client to discuss their concerns for their situation and empower them to determine how and where to move forward.  Self determination is a key for all humans regardless of the hardship they may be encountering today.

We can summarize what we have learned about Case Management and the "attitudes" associated with case management:

  • Acceptance of clients where they are
  • Informed consent
  • Self determination
  • Individualized planning
  • Non-judgmental attitude
  • Motivation and encouragement
  • Recovery Model
  • Seeing ourselves as separate
  • Reflective listening
  • Open questions

Facilitating Change

  1. Make it safe to explore
  2. Steer around initial worries
  3. Articulate self-determination
  4. Talk about change
  5. Discuss discrepancies
  6. Bring out confidence
  7. Facilitate commitment
  8. Reflecting the opposite side

Ambivalence

Change can be very challenging, and despite the attraction and "normalness" of making "progress" our clients may be ambivalent.

Attitudes

  • Coming off as a "know it all"
  • Labeling a person as resistant
  • Arguing
  • Seeing the client as hopeless

Assessment

Lesson 20 Quiz

  1. Reflect upon your confidence before and after taking this class. Do you feel MORE or LESS confident about your ability to do these skills (regardless of whether you are going to actually become a case manager or not). This essay should be a couple paragraphs.