Disability Case Manager

Learn about the Disability Case Manager Career...

The good we secure for ourselves is precarious and uncertain until it is secured for all of us and incorporated into our common life.
~Jane Addams

The disability services industry has developed an extensive infrastructure of support designed to deliver the services that people with disabilities need to maintain their mental and physical health.  However, because this system is extensive, disabled people often require assistance with determining what kind of disability assistance is necessary, and how to obtain these services.  Disability Case Managers serve as the link between people with disabilities, and the organizations that deliver disability aide.

Case Managers have strong interpersonal skills, and the patience to gather information from people with disabilities who may struggle to communicate their health-care needs. 
To determine what type of disability assistance a client requires, Disability Case Managers interview clients, and evaluate client medical records.  After the assessment, Case Managers contact the necessary care providers, and arrange for clients to receive the appropriate disability services.  For instance, an adolescent client with learning disabilities and impaired motor functions, may require specialized educational and assisted living services from two, or three, separate organizations.  The client’s Case Manager is responsible for identifying the appropriate care providers, and confirming that the client receives the needed services.

Although the coordination of services is one of the Case Manager’s most important roles, Case Managers are also responsible for the evaluation of, and adjustments to, their clients’ care plans.  For instance, if a Case Manager discovers that an Alzheimer patient has had a stroke, the Case Manager would need to re-assess this client’s needs and figure out how to accommodate these changes.

Disability Case Managers work for government agencies, health-insurance companies, hospitals, and private disability services organization. Employers usually require Disability Case Managers to have a college diploma, social work degree, or nursing degree.  If you think you may excel at working with disability clients, and the health-care organizations that deliver disability services, you may enjoy a career as a Disability Case Manager.

Request information from schools offering Psychology and Counseling degree programs.