PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS AND CASE MANAGEMENT

The purpose of this study was to describe the role that case management had in the work of professional counselors and to inquire into their needs as related to training and preparation to provide case management services. I used a descriptive phenomenological approach and followed Giorgi’s five step model to analyze data. I collected data using survey which consisted of 10 open ended questions and received 21 completed surveys. The primary result of the analysis of the survey participant responses was a definition of case management. Five overall themes emerged to include Role of case management in counseling practice, Importance of Maslow’s theory for counseling process, Elements of case management, Learning about case management, and Need for inclusion of case management in counseling curriculum. Two subthemes emerged under Role of case management in counseling practice which included Important role and Basic case management interventions. The overall themes indicated that professional counselors found value and utility of case management in their practice but noted lack of training and preparation to provide case management services. Further research with geographically larger number of participants is recommended to validate results of this study and expand upon these findings.