Fundamentals of Case Management Practice,
6th Edition

Nancy Summers

ISBN-13: 9780357935903
Copyright 2025 | Published
400 pages | List Price: USD $187.95

Summers' FUNDAMENTALS OF CASE MANAGEMENT PRACTICE: SKILLS FOR THE HUMAN SERVICES, 6e, is a step-by-step guide through the case management process, from intake and assessment to referrals and termination. This edition focuses on important considerations for students to document and pass along in each step of the human services process. Students are walked through each step of the case management process while realistic exercises provide a broad range of true-to-life circumstances. The text is meant to be experiential, giving students considerable opportunities to apply the skills and information acquired in each chapter and gain an understanding of how social services interact. 6e is available with MindTap, a seamless online learning experience that combines readings, multimedia, activities and assessments into a singular learning path that guides students through the course.

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Section 1: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FIRST
1. Case Management: Definition and Responsibilities.
2. Ethics and Other Professional Responsibilities for Human Service Workers.
3. Applied values.
Section 2: USEFUL CLARIFICATIONS AND ATTITUDES.
4. How People Change.
5. Applying the Ecological Model: A Theoretical Foundation for Human Services.
6. Attitudes and Boundaries.
Section 3: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION.
7. Identifying Good Responses and Poor Responses.
8. Listening and Responding.
9. Asking Questions.
10. Bringing Up Difficult Issues.
11. Addressing and Disarming Anger.
12. Collaborating with People for Change.
Section 4: MEETING CLIENTS AND ASSESSING THEIR STRENGTHS AND NEEDS.
13. Documenting Initial Inquiries.
14. The First Interview.
15. Social Histories and Assessment Forms.
16. Using the DSM.
17. The Mental Status Examination.
18. Receiving and Releasing Information.
Section 5: DEVELOPING A PLAN WITH A CLIENT.
19. Developing a Service Plan at the Case Management Unit.
20. Preparing for a Service Planning Conference or Disposition Planning Meeting.
21. Making the Referral and Assembling the Record.
22. Documentation and Recording.
Section 6: MONITORING SERVICES AND FOLLOWING THE CLIENT.
23. Monitoring the Services or Treatment.
24. Developing Goals and Objectives at the Provider Agency.
25. Terminating the Case.
26. Taking Care of Yourself.

  • Nancy Summers

    Nancy Summers is an emeritus professor at Harrisburg Area Community College, where she has served as department chair. Summers was the director of public education for a mental health system and has worked with numerous agencies to provide training, improve services and assist with an internal reorganization. She remains actively in touch with numerous professionals in a wide variety of programs and recently published work on the supervision of the less experienced human services worker. She is currently on the board of trustees at Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

  • The chapter on cultural competence has been replaced by a chapter focused on the importance of diversity, the need for equity and the human need to belong. The new chapter gives readers background for understanding how democracy was developed and what that has meant for certain groups in society. In addition, incorporating an understanding of these concepts when doing intakes, making referrals and working with individuals and families can be found throughout the book.

  • The 6th edition includes information on the DSM-5 TR and how entry level individuals can use and understand this reference guide. The appendix has additional material useful in suicide prevention and in other safety issues.

  • New material also includes a separate chapter on how people change and a chapter on self-care.

  • This textbook is experiential, giving students considerable opportunities to apply their learning and understanding to actual cases in the classroom where the pros and cons of their ideas can be openly evaluated. The book includes current practice trends and considerations, legal issues, a strong coverage of ethics and ethical behavior and a wide range of case management applications and information on the importance of the ecological model in assessment and planning, giving students a strong introduction to professional basics.

  • The text gives the basic information a person needs to handle essential case management tasks. Students do not have to be taught by employers how to develop goals and objectives or do an intake. In addition, students learn how systems of social services work in order to serve client needs. Numerous exercises create realistic situations and expose students to an extremely broad range of possible circumstances and difficulties in the field. Participating in classroom discussions about these practice scenarios will simulate discussions that happen every day in case management agencies.

  • Information on the Recovery Model, including the use of self-determination methods, good peer support and an understanding of the foundations of Motivational Interviewing, better equip students to work with the most current concepts and practices.

  • Detailed, step-by-step information on how to record impressions and recommendations effectively as well as how to write brief social histories prepares students to produce clear, professionally written communication.

  • The book contains a variety of forms for use in creating and maintaining a client file. Forms and letter-writing opportunities give students many occasions to practice compiling information and sending information throughout the management of a case. The forms can be copied and used to create files on developed clients. Students' repeated use of each form helps to prepare them for working with real clients in real social service settings.

  • Examples of contact notes as well as examples of cases and corresponding service plans in the appendix provide important reference materials for students to examine in-depth. Directions for dating forms (also in the appendix) further prepare students for their future work.

Cengage provides a range of supplements that are updated in coordination with the main title selection. For more information about these supplements, contact your Learning Consultant.

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