Course Title: Disability Case Management

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: Disability Case Management

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

HWSS2106

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

150H Health Sciences

Distance / Correspondence or Face-to-Face

Sem 2 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2010

HWSS2106

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

150H Health Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2013

HWSS2106

Bundoora Campus

Undergraduate

360H Education

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2014,
Sem 1 2015

Course Coordinator: Trevor Skerry

Course Coordinator Phone: Email for appointment

Course Coordinator Email: trevor.skerry@rmit.edu.au

Course Coordinator Availability: Please e-mail for an appointment


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

This course will build on the capabilities developed in the courses:

First year
• Professional Practices in Disability 1A
• Professional Practices in Disability 1B
• Disability Access and Equity
• Lifespan Opportunities for People with a Disability
 

Second year
• Professional Practices in Disability 2A
• Practicum A
• Professional Practices in Disability 2B
• Practicum B
 


Course Description

This course will prepare students to understand the role of Case Manager - to facilitate the access of people with disabilities to the opportunities that meet their needs and aspirations. Case Managers achieve this through engaging in partnerships with people with disabilities, family members, formal and informal supports, service providers, and community based opportunities. Graduates need to have the skills to engage and negotiate with a range of stakeholders, identify and develop community-based opportunities, manage organisational resources and their own workload, assess client needs and aspirations, and to plan, develop, implement and evaluate clients’ Individual Support Plans.


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

At the completion of the course student who have attended classes and successfully completed all assessment tasks will have the following skills

Reflective practice

The ability to reflect on experiences and critically evaluate the contribution of personal and professional practice to the goals and aspirations of the individual, organisations and communities.
• Self assessment

The ability to recognise own limitations in knowledge and skill and to be actively engaged in ongoing learning and self-development to improve personal and professional practice.
• Stress management techniques
• Time and workload management
• Management of case loads

Evidence based practice

The ability to ask the “right” questions and identify and access the information required to ensure practices are supported by appropriate evidence and grounded in contemporary approaches.
• Developing ecomaps and genograms
• Interviewing skills

The ability to gather, synthesise and evaluate information that places practice within a global and local context.
• Models and principles of case management
• The principles of person centred planning in a case management framework
• Issues in case management

Problem identification and solving

The ability to apply knowledge to identify issues and develop possible solutions in situations that range from simple and discrete to complex and ill-defined.
• Problem solving approaches

The ability to work independently and with others to identify and resolve issues of mutual concern in constructive and creative ways
• Professional supervision
• Crisis management and debriefing

Communication

The ability to engage with a diverse range of individuals and groups/teams including clients, professionals and community groups.
• Assessment
• Negotiation and collaboration

The ability to communicate in a range of forms (written, electronic, graphic, oral) and to tailor the style and means of communication to the circumstances of the situation and capabilities of the audience.
• Writing professional reports
- Development of tools for clients/families

Strategic thinking and action

The ability to adopt a strategic view where problems are connected with a larger system (the bigger picture) and where feasible solutions must balance the future goals and aspirations of many stakeholders (the long term view).
• Case management and service priorities

The ability to link strategic thinking with operational action – to use a holistic and long term perspective (strategic) to inform day to day (operational) decisions and actions.
• Plan development
• Essentials of an effective plan

The ability to deal with changing circumstances by integrating strategic and operational thinking and action in an ongoing cycle of researching, planning and evaluating.
• Methods of monitoring and evaluation.

Integration of personal values with service values

The ability to identify own values and how these could impact on service delivery. To maintain tolerance and respect for individuals and groups from diverse backgrounds and with potentially diverse values.
• Issues for people from CALD and aboriginal backgrounds.
• Supports for people from CALD and aboriginal backgrounds.
 


At the completion of this course, if you have attended and actively participated in lectures, professional seminars, case studies and independent research you will be able to:

• Evaluate your own effectiveness as a case manager.
• Implement techniques to manage own work associated issues.
• Collect relevant information from families, people with disabilities, service providers, and other key stakeholders.
• Discuss the models, principles and issues in relation to case management practice.
• Apply the principles of person centred planning in a framework of case management.
• Describe approaches to case management and identify the appropriate approach according the context of its use.
• Discuss the components essential to effective case management.
• Demonstrate the application of a problem solving approach with a case management framework.
• Gather information for the development of individualised case plans.
• Produce individualised, accessible written plans and case management reports.
• Manage priorities in case management practice.
• Develop case plans that specify long term and short term goals and strategies.
• Monitor and evaluate case plans and case management practice.
• Describe the issues for people with disabilities from CALD and aboriginal backgrounds in accessing a case management service and effective case management strategies.
• Identify the services available to support people with disabilities from CALD and aboriginal backgrounds.
• Identify methods for ensuring coordination of interagency and cross sector services and opportunities
 


Overview of Learning Activities

The learning activities of this course will focus on the development of the skills and knowledge required to provide effective case management to people with disabilities. Previous learning in relation to assessment, communication, report writing, negotiation, plan development, and building community capacity will be further developed.
Effective frameworks and principles for case management will be examined as well as the application of person centred planning in a case management context. Application issues will identified and explored for the development of solutions and strategies. The learning in this course will be largely based on a problem solving approach where students will identify issues, explore options, apply solutions, and evaluate outcomes.
Specific information such as local policies and the roles of key stakeholders will be addressed.
Students will work in groups and on an individual basis to apply their skills and knowledge in real and hypothetical situations.
 


Overview of Learning Resources

Learning resources will include journals, texts and online references available through the library.


Overview of Assessment

The students will undertake formative and summative assessments throughout the course. The emphasis of assessments will be on the demonstration of the knowledge and skills gained through the course.
Students will demonstrate, and receive feedback, on their ability to apply the key principles of case management in relation to: a) assessment; b) plan development; c) monitoring progress; and d) evaluating outcomes.