Addiction is a growing problem. Drug-involved overdose deaths continue to rise year after year. On top of that, 10 percent of U.S. adults have a drug use disorder at some point in their lives. That means that roughly 33 million people struggle with this problem. To make matters worse, every person is different. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to addiction treatment. That’s where targeted case management comes in.
Targeted case management allows people struggling with substance use disorder to get the level of specified care and attention that they need in order to achieve long-term recovery. To understand this addiction treatment service, let’s discuss what case management is in addiction recovery.
What is case management?
Simply put, case management in addiction recovery is the service that advocates for and assists those who are in addiction treatment by connecting them with the medical, educational, financial, and social support services that they need to become fully-functioning members of society.
Since case management can encompass such a wide variety of services, it has been difficult for organizations to create a concrete definition of what case management is. In September 2022, The American Case Management Association (ACMA) and the Commission for Case Management Certification (CCMC) agreed on and approved this official definition of case management:
Case Management is a dynamic process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors, and evaluates to improve outcomes, experiences, and value. The practice of case management is professional and collaborative, occurring in a variety of settings where medical care, mental health care, and social supports are delivered. Services are facilitated by diverse disciplines in conjunction with the care recipient and their support system. In pursuit of health equity, priorities include identifying needs, ensuring appropriate access to resources/services, addressing social determinants of health and facilitating safe care transitions. Professional case managers help navigate complex systems to achieve mutual goals, advocate for those they serve, and recognize personal dignity, autonomy, and the right to self-determination.
As you can see, case managers play a vital role in the recovery process as they help patients navigate through the logistics of normal life and reintegrate into life outside of rehab.
Targeted case management (TCM)
Targeted case management (TCM) services are case management services provided only to specific classes of individuals, or to individuals who reside in specified areas. In Kentucky, targeted case management services are available to adults with serious mental illness in all of the state’s 120 counties. This is paid for through state general revenue and Medicaid funding.
This is important for addiction recovery because we know that substance use disorder co-occurs with a range of mental health disorders that often go untreated.
What a targeted case manager does at Isaiah House
At Isaiah House, we have targeted case managers on staff that help individuals navigate through their recovery journey.
Our targeted case managers meet with clients once they are in intensive outpatient treatment. The case manager completes a thorough needs assessment and care plan tailored to the individual client.
In these initial meetings, case managers have the clients come up with three short-term goals and three long-term goals. The case manager doesn’t make these goals for the client. Having the client decide on them for themselves ensures that the client is invested in the outcome and will work toward achievement.
Some of the practical tasks targeted case managers help clients with include:
- Establishing healthcare
- Enrolling in school
- Finding unemployment or job assistance programs
- Housing assistance
- DUI assessments
The targeted case manager’s ultimate goal is to provide the client with the necessary resources and services that will give them back their independence and allow them to reach a point of self-sufficiency.
When a person is in active addiction, they aren’t really concerned about their responsibilities. Some may people may reach a point where they don’t even have responsibilities. Case managers help clients re-learn what it’s like to have responsibilities and take control of them.
Our targeted case managers work with clients throughout the entire continuum of care. We always encourage our clients to reach back out to us if they ever need anything. We do our best to establish a long-term relationship that will serve clients throughout their entire recovery journey.
Stephanie Whitaker, our TCM Manager, emphasizes the importance of making clients feel like a person with a purpose. People who struggle with substance abuse often feel dehumanized because of their addiction and the stigma surrounding it. On top of that, they can feel as if their life doesn’t have a purpose. The goal of our case managers is to help these people realize that they are valuable and that their lives do have meaning.
Achieve recovery with Isaiah House
At Isaiah House, we believe in a holistic approach to recovery that addresses all aspects of our clients’ lives. This approach has helped thousands of men and women break free from the grip of addiction. We offer personalized care through services like our targeted case management to help clients achieve recovery.
If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, call us today!
We’d love to walk with you through every step of your recovery journey.