Our Mission | What is Case Management? | What can Case Managers do? | Case Management in Action
Case Management at the Dorchester House is about creating partnerships to develop self sufficiency so that patients can receive better care. Dorchester House sets high standards for its case management department and clinical staff to provide successful solutions that allow patients to access benefits quicker and easier.
- To advocate and empower patients and families to achieve self-sufficiency consistent with their functional capacity;
- To educate patients and families to navigate systems, process and services to promote overall well-being and;
- To communicate, while maintaining privacy and confidentiality, with DHMSC providers and to other service delivery professionals in an ongoing manner.
A Case Management Department provides a spectrum of social services to patients and their families. Case Management is a vital step in the process by which patients’ needs, which often extend far beyond what can be cured in a clinical visit, are met by the wealth of community and social services provided here at Dorchester House, and at various partnering organizations and agencies in the surrounding community.
- Access public benefits and other income supports
- Perform assessments and coordination of care services
- Conduct health education with patients and families
- Work with patients to achieve quality care and better clinical outcomes
- Link families to support services including childcare, parenting education and support classes, clothing and basic baby items
- Offer referrals to credit and financial counseling, education, job training program and employment
- Utilize existing partnerships with other community based organizations to advocate for patients’ rights and responsibilities (such as the Medical-Legal Partnership | Boston, Massachusetts Coalition for the Homeless, Project Bread, and others)
One of the supports case managers regularly connect patients to is Food Stamps, or as it is now called, SNAP benefits (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program). The DHMSC case managers work with many families who are eligible for Food Stamps and do not currently access them, or have encountered difficulties in completing the verification process. Here is a story of one family and what a DHMSC case manager did to help.
A single mother of 3 children was having problems making ends meet and paying for food, clothes, rent and heat. The case manager educated Mom on the SNAP benefits and helped her apply. The Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) required an interview with Mom before approving the benefits. Mom worked together with the case manager to request a phone interview since she worked during the day and could not come to the DTA office. The case manager faxed over materials to expedite the interview process. The case manager supported Mom and counseled her on how to schedule an interview for herself. Mom was able to get an interview and ending up receiving SNAP benefits to relieve the food insecurity for her family.
