If you are passionate about helping the underprivileged and disadvantaged people in your community, then you should pursue a career in social services. Social work and case management are two major careers that people opt for in social services. Both these professions require a degree in social work and are complementary to each other.
The main difference in case worker vs. social worker is that licensed social workers can offer clinical therapy to clients but case managers can’t do so. Social workers like child or family therapists address relational and emotional concerns of clients. Case managers develop plans, keep detailed notes, and collaborate with others to provide clients with necessary services. Further, we’ll explore the roles of social workers and case managers in context to homecare.
Role of A Social Worker
These professionals assist people with emotional or relational issues in order to improve their daily life. Social workers try to improve the well-being of people facing difficult issues like poverty, disability, illness, and more.
Several workers with a clinical degree also diagnose diseases in people and provide therapy to treat various emotional, behavioral, and mental disorders. The following are the day-to-day responsibilities of a clinical social worker –
- Offer counseling to improve the mental health of families, individuals, or a group of people.
- Analyze an individual’s situation in depth to determine their requirements and needs.
- Come up with plans and strategies to improve the overall life quality of clients.
- Search for public and community assistance resources, along with counseling and healthcare services for needy clients.
- Offer therapy, counseling, and crisis intervention for clients.
- Make sure all records and files comply with procedures and policies.
- Refer clients to hospitals and treatment centers if required.
- Maintain communication and coordinate treatment with outpatient healthcare providers to make sure patients receive the proper care they need.
- Follow up clients to make sure they are doing better in life and receiving all the support they require.
Role of A Case Manager
They analyze and plan the strategy in order to fulfill a client’s healthcare needs. They cannot provide clinical therapy themselves and work to connect clients with the right care and services. It is common for them to interview clients to determine the best possible healthcare strategy for them.
A case management healthcare entrepreneur also mediates between service providers and clients in case of any issue. The following are day-to-day responsibilities of a case manager –
- Analyze cases and curate reports with relevant data and information.
- Perform screening to determine if a client is eligible for services.
- Interview clients to know about the services and healthcare they need.
- Offer support to individuals as well as families who need help.
- Refer clients to other healthcare service providers and agencies.
- Serve as a mediator between clients and external service providers.
Key Differences Between A Social Worker & Case Manager
Now that we know the roles and responsibilities of both, let’s go through the difference between case manager and social worker in-depth.
Job Duty
Case managers offer assistance to clients to function properly and get the ideal services they need. They do not provide any clinical therapy to clients and can just counsel them supportively sometimes. Their main job is to coordinate a client’s treatment program making sure they get what they need.
Social workers have specialized education and offer therapy to clients to address their social, physical, and mental issues. They analyze a client’s situation, offer them therapy, and refer them to hospitals or healthcare centers if needed.
Education
Social workers need at least a bachelor’s degree to enter the profession. If they want to manage an agency or provide clinical therapy, then they will require a master’s degree in social work. Also, supervised fieldwork or an internship is necessary as well.
Case managers must have a nursing or social work undergraduate degree. They have the option to pursue multiple fields of study, and are not limited to nursing. Though it’s not necessary, some employers look for a master’s degree in their case managers.
Certification & Licensing
Social workers must have a license or certification based on the state they reside in. In order to provide clinical therapy, they must have a social worker license in whichever state they want to practice.
For case managers, licensing and certification varies based on the state and chosen discipline. Some case managers don’t need any type of license, but those who come in direct contact with clients regularly, need to have a certification or license.
Conclusion
If you wish to serve needy families and individuals, then social work as well as case management, both are great career choices. Inspirational people like Carleesha Porter Delgardo CEO of Working Nurses Home Care make a difference in the lives of the underprivileged and give them a better life. Bring a positive impact to your community and start a career in either social work or case management.