Introduction to Case Management 101

Case Management 101 is a video mini-course on the fundamentals of providing case management services to survivors of torture, designed specifically for case managers who are not trained social workers. Joan Hodges-Wu, MA, will introduce two training videos in this webinar session:  “Case Management 101:  Client Boundaries” and “Case Management 101: Writing Case Notes”.  Joan, the creator and presenter, will discuss how these videos may be used in torture treatment work and also answer any questions that you may have.  While the content of the videos is aimed at case managers, this webinar is also relevant and targeted to clinic managers who may wish to integrate these videos into their center’s own training and orientation for new case managers. 

Below is a brief description of, and link to, each video:

Client Boundaries

In this video, Joan outlines the essentials of setting and maintaining appropriate professional boundaries with survivors of torture.  She discusses the benefits of boundaries and helps us to recognize certain boundary transgressions.  Joan concludes the training with topic of best practices for case managers in maintaining boundaries.

Writing Case Notes

Well-written case notes are essential in case management and can facilitate professional accountability and information-sharing in a  clinic.  In this video, Joan outlines ways in which case notes can impact client outcomes and uses a template to teach six elements of effective note writing.  She discusses certain elements to avoid and also talks about how mental status observations can be an important tool in writing case notes. 

Presenter

Joan Hodges-Wu has worked with vulnerable immigrant populations for nine years, both domestically and abroad. She is currently a Reception & Placement Program Officer with the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI). At USCRI, Joan uses her clinical case management background to provide technical support and in-house training to 31 refugee resettlement sites across the U.S. Joan received her Master’s degree in Refugee Care from the University of Essex in partnership with the Tavistock Clinic in London, England. Joan is also the former Lead Case Manager of the Program for Survivors of Torture and Severe Trauma in Northern Virginia.