Models

Different organizations use different models of case management for different purposes.

1. Counselor: This kind of case manager meets often with the client to offer personal support and counsel. The personal relationship and time commitment of the case manager is critical. Changing case managers is possibly traumatic for both parties. The case manager gains access to other more specialized services when necessary.
2. Legal representative: This kind of case manager sees their main job as implementing the policies and legal obligations of their organization. They do not meet with the client very often and the quality of the relationship might not be very good.
3. Broker: In this model of case management, the case manager's main role is to broker access to other services, not provide any services directly. That is, their job is done when the client has all the services they need from elsewhere.
4. Coordinator: This kind of case manager is the leader of the stakeholders' meeting that makes decisions on how the case will be managed.
5. Single-line: This kind of case manager has only a single objective, and clients must go through a set of steps in a particular order. They only vary in what it might take to complete each step and the speed that they go though the steps. For example, an employment agency might take clients with the single purpose of getting them a suitable job.

While you need to work within organizational and legal guidelines, you cannot presume that your current case management system will always work for all your clients. You may need to develop or adapt it to the unique needs of particular clients. First, discuss with the client and relevant others the outcome you need to achieve and any cultural considerations.