What does a case manager do?
A case manager is a social worker who often works with people who have been through physical or mental trauma. As a counselor, he or she provides advice, emotional support, and therapeutic solutions. Your daily tasks as a case manager will vary depending on your employment. In general, case managers act as a link between a client and providers of healthcare and social services. Case managers work closely with clients, but you also help your client's family members find the best services possible for their loved ones. Some common tasks of a case manager include:
• Assessing each client's needs
• Creating a care plan
• Communicating with medical teams and insurance companies
• Evaluating each client's progress
• Helping clients take control of managing their needs
As a case manager you should be prepared to handle a wide range of social issues, including poverty, drug abuse, and housing problems. You should become cognizant of the underlying social problems in each case to find appropriate solutions for your clients. The career requires sensitivity toward people of different ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.
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What is the average salary of a case manager?
The 2021 median pay of a case manager, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics, was $74,000 per year, or $35.58 per hour. For those who move up to management positions, the median annual wage is $97,630. When you include all the different occupations involving social work, the median salary is $45,760. Social and community service managers who work for local government on average earn a salary of $93,420. The lowest-paid social workers typically earn around $33,000.
Working as a case manager
The occupation of case management requires skills in organization and communication. It's a broad field, so the type of work relates directly to the type of organization you serve, which may be medical, governmental, or community based. Financial, educational, and religious organizations also use case managers. The role may involve working in settings such as offices, hospitals, and shelters.
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What are the responsibilities of a case manager?
One of the main responsibilities of a case manager is managing patient meetings and scheduling. You must be able to analyze data and provide solutions to people who need help with financial, emotional, or physical issues. In some cases that involve tragic accidents, you will play the role of a grief and loss counselor.
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What type of equipment do case managers use?
Since case managers do collaborative work with other professionals, it's imperative to use software tools that make this teamwork seamless. Case management software is used for planning, assessment, care coordination and other activities. Its automation features reduce repetitive tasks while its collaborative features allow for easy communication between team members. Software platforms used by case managers include Appian, Pega and Kissflow.
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What is the work environment of a case manager?
The work environment of a case manager covers a broad range of settings from offices to medical clinics to visiting patients at their homes. Some case managers work in juvenile detention centers to meet with minors about their problems. Additionally, case managers network with community and financial organizations, which often requires travel.
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Who are your colleagues as a case manager?
As a case manager, you'll work with medical and social services professionals to identify appropriate programs and services for your clients. In a community-based organization, you'll have regular meetings with stakeholders to draft funding proposals for submission to community outreach programs and organizations that award grants. For example: in a healthcare organization, important stakeholders may include clients and their support systems, providers of care, suppliers of goods, regulators, … Depending on your field of expertise as a case manager, you may also have to work with legal assistants and social workers.
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What is the work schedule of a case manager?
Case managers have typical 9-5 work schedules, but you will sometimes work over 40 hours per week. If you work with multiple clients, you may have to customize your schedule around their needs. This could mean that you work on the weekends or evenings.
What is the career outlook for a case manager?
The career outlook for case managers is good. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this field will grow by 15% between 2020 and 2030. This is a faster growth rate than the average occupation. Case managers are able to advance their careers by gaining certifications and additional education. While a bachelor's degree will get you into this field, earning a master's degree will allow you to take on senior-level positions.
What are the advantages of working with Spherion as a case manager?
Finding a job as a case manager can be frustrating due to the competitive nature of the field, but Spherion makes it easier with its search tools. We enable you to find specific case manager jobs in your geographic region. We also provide resources such as interview training and resume editing to assist in your career search. Other key advantages to working with Spherion are:
- Submit and post your resume so that case management employers can view it
- Quickly discover job openings and connect with leaders in your local community
- Access to a national network of locations that offer HR services, including temporary or contract-to-hire work
- Tap into established relationships with employers across the United States
What education do you need as a case manager?
You'll typically need a bachelor's degree in social work or related public policy and social services to become a case manager. Some jobs in this field, however, require at least a master's degree. The degree must come from an accredited college or university. Important coursework includes sociology, psychology, and human behavior. Child development and data analysis are also useful areas of study. Social workers who earn doctoral degrees are eligible to teach at universities.
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Skills & competencies
Networking skills are important for case managers because you must communicate with other professionals in the field of social work to find and negotiate solutions for your clients. This job calls for strong management skills as well. Each state has its own licensing requirements to pursue a career in social work occupations. Available certifications in this field include the Commission for Case Manager Certification and the Accredited Case Manager credential.
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Other required skills
Some social work positions require administrative skills, so it helps to have some background in business administration or public policy. Any type of management position usually requires analytical and problem-solving skills. Understanding time management is particularly important, especially if you work with multiple clients.
FAQs
Case managers act as an important link between clients and available services. The following answers to frequently asked questions about becoming a case manager provide additional information about this role.
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What type of licensing is required to become a case manager?
Check with your state's official website to learn about the specific licensing requirements for social work in your state. Once you get a bachelor's degree, you can become a licensed baccalaureate social worker (LBSW). In this position, you'll report to a clinical supervisor. For upper-level management work, you'll need a master's degree in social work or a related field. In most states, social work licensure requires taking an exam.
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What's the fastest way to become a case manager?
The fastest path to becoming a case manager or other type of social worker is to get your associate degree from a junior college. From there, you can get an internship or become an entry-level assistant to an established social worker and work your way up. Once you've gained about two years of work experience, you can apply for a case manager position.
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How do I apply for a case manager vacancy?
Applying for a job as a case manager is easy with Spherion. You can search for case manager jobs on Spherion.com by job title and location. If you don’t see the perfect role, you can submit an open application. Once you submit your resume through Spherion’s open application, a recruiter from the office closest to you will reach out with details about potential case manager roles that fit your skill set and professional goals.
