The role of a case manager is an essential managerial role where you will be directly responsible for guiding patients through their mental health recovery journey. They help coordinate care services based on each patient’s individual care needs and continue to monitor their progress to ensure each patient meets their recovery goals in a timely manner.
At Behavioral Health Jobs, you will find new positions for case managers at hospitals, treatment centers, private practices, and other care facilities throughout the country. Our job board is dedicated to the healthcare industry and contains new jobs for psychiatrists, behavioral therapists, certified medical technicians, case managers, and administrative and medical support staff.
Continue reading to learn about what a case manager does, then check out all of the case manager jobs near you at the Behavioral Health Jobs website today.
What Experience Do You Need to Become a Case Manager?
To be effective in the role of a case manager, you will need a mix of technical, clinical, and interpersonal skills. To gain all of these skills, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree in one of the following areas:
- Human services
- Psychology
- Social work
- Sociology
- Criminal justice
- Healthcare administrations
- Public policy
- Social services
More senior positions may require a master’s in public health or business administration (MBA).
Your first job right out of college will not be as a manager. You need to gain real-world work experience before you can effectively manage patients and staff. Your first job may be in social services, nursing, mental health care, substance abuse treatment, or a similar care position. These jobs will give you hands-on experience that will benefit you later on as a manager.
If you plan on becoming certified as a case manager, you will need 12 to 24 months of work experience before you can apply for the Case Manager Certification (CCM) or Certified Case Manager (ACM) certifications. Most companies will want a minimum of five years of related work experience to qualify for a case manager position.
Behavioral Health Jobs is the number one source for jobs in the behavioral health industry. There is a big demand for qualified case managers today, and this rewarding career path is expected to increase by 10% by 2032, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The Role of a Case Manager
A case manager works as an intermediary between the patient and care services to develop a comprehensive care program that supports their recovery from start to finish. They play an essential role in determining the type of care they receive and act as the patient’s voice.
What does a case manager do? Here are just some of the responsibilities of a healthcare case manager:
- Education and support – One of the first steps in recovery is learning all about the disorder and what it takes to recover. Case Managers help educate the patient and their families about the disorder they struggle with, the type of care needed, and what to expect from the process.
- Clinical assessments – Next, the case manager will run an assessment of the patient’s physical and mental health to determine the type of care necessary. They will assess the patient’s condition and assign them to an appropriate residential or outpatient care facility.
- Treatment planning and coordination – Case managers use their findings from the assessment to develop a whole-person treatment plan that includes behavioral and holistic therapies. Medical support is also available for patients with severe addiction withdrawals or any depressive or anxiety symptoms that interfere with the recovery process.
- Patient advocacy – Case managers will act as the patient’s voice to ensure they continue to receive quality care. This can include negotiating with service providers, navigating insurance issues, and working to remove any obstacles that interfere with the treatment program.
- Monitoring and evaluation – Case managers will regularly monitor and evaluate their patients throughout the program. This improves the chances of patients meeting their goals and making forward progress toward a better life.
This list is just a sample of a case manager’s responsibilities. To get a better idea of the day-to-day tasks, look at the case management job description to get a sense of what you will be doing each day.
Find New Case Manager Jobs Today at Behavioral Health Jobs
At Behavioral Health Jobs, our job board is solely for individuals who want a career helping people improve their lives. Our job board is searchable by job title or keywords, experience level, organization type, and job type. We also include helpful tips and career advice to aid you in your career search.
To learn more about the responsibilities of a case manager, check out the Behavioral Health Jobs website today.
