Assignment Details:

Case managers serve a variety of roles and functions. They may work in a prison, probation and parole, or community environment, among others.

Review the roles and functions outlined in your text, and respond to the following:

• Which roles are the most important? Why?
• Which roles are the least important?
• Does the working environment (prison, probation and parole, community) have an impact on which roles are most and least important?
• Are there roles that you feel are inappropriate for a case manager to take on?
• Which roles might cause conflict for a case manager in fulfilling his or her core roles?

You are a treatment program supervisor at a 400-bed minimum security male correctional facility. You currently have only 2 case managers to handle all 400 offenders, many of whom are preparing for release in the coming months. Each time an offender is released, another offender is immediately transferred in to that open bunk. The majority of the offenders in your facility are incarcerated on substance-related charges (possession with intent to distribute, robbery, felony DUI, etc.).

Prepare a research paper of 10-12 pages to present to administration to request the addition of 2-3 case managers. Discuss the concepts and theories of case management systems and case management responsibilities and service delivery to persuade administration to approve hiring 2-3 additional case managers.

Make sure your paper addresses the following:

1. What are some of the issues that you and your case managers are experiencing with the current caseloads?

2. How would you divide up your caseload-by housing unit, offense type, length of time left in sentence, treatment needs, etc.? Why would you use this approach?

3. How would you convince administration that the additional case managers are necessary, even with budgetary issues? What roles and responsibilities would be most important to administration?

Within your paper, create a brief job description that identifies the essential skills and qualifications necessary for case managers today.

What are the daily tasks that case managers are expected to perform?

What are the additional or ancillary tasks that case managers might be expected to perform?

4. Additionally, develop 7-10 interview questions that you would pose to applicants to find the most qualified applicant.

Consider the knowledge and skill base as well as working environment and potential ethical issues that need to be addressed.

What responses would make the candidate an appropriate choice for your facility?

5. Utilize a minimum of 4-6 references.