Devin Simmons
Professor Douglass
Case Management Model
10/8/2014
Chemung County Family Services
The Chemung County Family Services (CCFS) organization is an important factor in community development that many people don't know much about. The purpose of Family Services is to assist individuals, families and the community in meeting the complexities of daily living by fostering the ability to develop and maintain positive relationships and promote healthy, independent personal development, and responsible social functioning. The CCFS provides the community with many different services, such as; child and family clinic plus emotional health screening, home health services, family counseling, E.A.P employee assistance programs, family mental health, family relationship services, mental health intensive outpatient services, adult mental health services, and employment opportunities. Due to the multiple services the CCFS provides, they are defined as using an organizational-based case management model. Anyone has the ability to be assessed for treatment, after assessment the assigned case manager will discuss the services that will best help the client.
Case managers are available to make contact with clients in appropriate private or public areas. One-on-one counseling and small group work are both used, and can make a significant difference in the client's behaviors. Also, the organization offers training to parents, guardians, and volunteers so they can learn the appropriate steps when engaging and altering the behaviors of the clients who participate, the ultimate goal is to help the client become more self-sufficient and empowered.
Case managers have many roles within the organization, which include: counselor, planner, broker, coordinator, problem-solver, and record keeper. As a coordinator, the case manager is constantly communicating with the other workers of the agency to make sure everyone is on the same page. The clients that come to the center are all logged in as they arrive each day; this gets entered into a day record that is used to measure attendance and other statistical information that can be used later for grant proposals. The top service that is utilized at the agency is family counseling. The most important role a case manager plays at the organization is a problem-solver, the case manager helps the clients become more self-sufficient by helping them to realize their strengths and develop their own self-worth.
Personally, I believe the agency is a major asset in the community that is not used as much as it should be. I am from Chemung County and I know how much the community could benefit from the CCFS services, but not many people know of the agency. Growing up in the area, I know a handful of families who have utilized the programs the CCFS offers, and they have made significant improvements. Although the organization is fairly large, everyone who participates in the agency is close, giving clients a sense of comfort, which is really important because most of them are hesitant to partake.
I like that the agency offers so many different services for my community. If I worked at the CCFS, I would like to work with children who come from struggling families and/or poverty stricken neighborhoods. Growing up, I was the oldest of three and it was extremely tough watching my single mother struggle to make ends meet so we can stay together. My brother and I were taken from my mother at a young age and placed in foster care for a few years, this was difficult because I was forced to grow up prematurely in order to comfort and care for my younger brother. After years of exhausting full work days and sleepless nights, my mother was able to gain custody of us again; that day forward I had taken care of my siblings and helped ease the workload and responsibilities for my mother. I've lived and witnessed everything a child or teen might be exposed to, because I was once in their shoes and I can offer a lot of advice.
The CCFS does not have a job description online because they offer many services and job descriptions are different in certain areas. They do discuss this information over the phone to potential applicants.