In my area we have Blended Case Managers, formerly known as Intensive Case Managers. They help people achieve goals and connect with services in the community. I’ve been in the program for what seems like forever.
I had a great BCM that I worked with for nearly eight years but he moved on to a different job. I was then reassigned to a new guy, but we just didn’t mesh. We didn’t really work on anything, rarely met, and honestly, I disliked the idea of meeting with him. So I called the supervisor of the program and asked to be reassigned.
She called me back and told me that she’d be taking my case. I just finished meeting with her and we talked for almost an hour. She seems very nice and competent. I really enjoyed talking with her. She’s down to earth and real, not putting on the fake display you often see from workers in this field. We talked about some things I wanted to work on and she offered a lot of useful suggestions.
I really think this is going to work out well, and I’m excited and pleased.
Glad to know that you like this person so far - its a good sign. I personally prefer female mental health workers (psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers etc… ) over males - just seems like women are less pretentious
I think I do as well. The best worker I’ve ever dealt with however was a man. In fact, I think he could very well be the best person I’ve ever met. I sometimes refer to him as a living saint, he’s really just that great of a human being. He was my former peer specialist and I’m honored and grateful to call him my friend.
I was eligible for a case manager but was told I didn’t really need that level of services so I don’t have one. I guess they just figured that I could manage my own case but I don’t know I can’t even really manage my own life despite being in recovery from my symptoms. Couldn’t do that even before schizophrenia…it’s not even related.
I currently have a female case manager, and I hate her. I can’t be reassigned either. I’ve tried, to no avail. She is not an intensive case manager, but she is damn annoying. She doesn’t do anything to help me, and any time I’ve reached out for help, I get slapped with bureaucracy. I must have signed 7 or 8 releases of information. I am considering transferring treatment sites entirely. Phoenix is so huge, I have my choice of over 100 treatment sites, depending on how far I want to travel.
Dealing with lousy members of your treatment team is a frustrating and wretched experience. My payee was just a terrible person and I felt like I was in chains dealing with her. If you can get out, do it. The mental health field is so hit and miss, hopefully you’ll get a hit next time. There’s no need to be mired in such a lousy situation.
I agree, sir. Not only does my case manager suck, but the nurse practitioner sucks too. Since I am being reassessed for mental health services in general (my on-the-side psychologist, neurologist, and GP) are all looking at neurological weirdness being the cause for most of my symptoms. I have had the label of schizophrenia removed. That we know. So what’s causing the rest of the trouble? Looks like PTSD and epilepsy are the root cause for most of my problems. I haven’t heard voices in 2.5 months, and ever since my massive seizure about a month ago, I have been put on 2 anticonvulsants (Depakote and Keppra), and they are really shoring up most of my problems. I am off antipsychotics, and for the most part, haven’t been on any antipsychotics to speak of in about 3 months.
First you manage to get away from your payee, and now you get to find a case manager who is good at what she does… Very cool that things are looking up for you.
I was sort of sad when my case manager had to let me go. The people here are spread so thin, (like every where in the world) that once you hit a certain point of capable functioning, they have to use their time with those in worse shape… I completely understand… but I was still sad to be dropped.
It’s so exciting that you met a new case manager who is nice and capable. Almost envy you because I don’t have a good case manager. I had two in the past years but they almost never talked with me or visited me. I think they just receive their salary while doing nothing on the work designated to them.
I’m a social worker myself…and many of us went into this field because we wanted to help. I have a Masters degree and my starting wage, for a long time, was probably less than what some people get paid to stock supermarket shelves…so definitely not in it for the money.
Problem is…lack of funding, lack of adequate staffing and bureaucracy. I’m in Australia so obviously things vary but I’d say the state of things is similar in the US. We get our wings clipped as soon as we enter the work force - every time you want to help someone properly, we have a road block ahead. Then paper-work. Then they expect you to manage 100 cases, each complex…and obviously people at risk of harm and death have to take priority - this means others get neglected, which we hate because who is at risk and who isn’t is not clear-cut. I worked with a woman who was being emotionally abused by her husband. Control, manipulation, possessiveness. But because she wasn’t being hit, she wasn’t deemed to be ‘at risk’. I tried to get her into temporary emergency housing but that was a lesson in futility - the women being beaten to a pulp get priority. Fair enough. Except this lady killed herself 2 days later. We deal with a system that takes so much time and effort, that often we’re too late.
After I found this out, I had to attend to another client 20 minutes later…
I’m not saying every worker is great - there are assholes out there - people who I wouldn’t want to have working for me. But the majority have good intentions…it’s just a very flawed system that is neglected because…well, it doesn’t make governments money.
Just giving you a different perspective. Ultimately, if you’re not gelling with a worker, you have every right to ask for someone else.
My sister is also a social worker. They have very limited budget. She has told the same story. Priority is physical abuse or risk of getting killed by boy/girlfriend or kids getting beaten. Every one else is prio2and below.
We did not get help from social services until I had my mental break down and ended up in hospital for 6 months. Then my HUSBAND got all the help he asked for. They saw it impossible for him to manage two kids, one disabled, by himself. But it was okay for me to do so before I got ill. My son was 9-12 years old and beat me up several times. Once he broke my rib because he kicked me in the chest. The police has been here a couple of times. Now he doesn’t live at home anymore. He is 13 and social services have him placed in a group home 60 km from home.
Thank you for your explanation, Louisa, I now understand more. I had expected my case managers a lot but one of them almost never talked with me (less than 2 minutes through the phone, I’d say). Another is better who visited me once and had a nice talk. Hope you have better work condition and support in Australia.
She wanted me to call her yesterday and I left a message both yesterday and today. She hasn’t called back. I know she’s probably busy but it does erode some confidence I have in the situation.
Also, I mentioned her to someone else on my treatment team last week and they gave me some serious, yet vague, warnings about her. I was intrigued, and when this person told me to Google her, I did. I have to admit that what I found was absolutely shocking. I was stunned at what I had found. It has complicated the situation incredibly and I don’t know how to address this.
That’s tough. Depending on what you found on Google… If it’s actual facts or someone’s ranting…
There is a nurse with PACT that just doesn’t click with my son. I can tell that my son doesn’t really like him and while I understand his approach, he has a good reputation in the field, he is not a good fit here. We haven’t seen him in a long time. What is not good for others may be good for you.
I would say keep what you are reading in mind but form your own opinion on her based on your interaction with her.
Oh it’s facts. It was major regional news about 15 years ago. I don’t want to go into details but it’s almost like something out of a movie.
I do want to give her the benefit of the doubt. She seems very nice and I did enjoy talking with her. It’s just very hard to deal with this as it is so absolutely outrageous.
