Case Management and Outreach: Similarities and Differences in Worker Tasks

Abstract

Case management and outreach are two important services provided to many individuals, particularly people with multiple problems. Unfortunately, no taxonomy or measuring instrument has been developed that captures the many dimensions of the jobs performed by both case managers and outreach workers. This study conducted a job analysis that led to the development of an instrument that has a variety of potential uses. It can be (a) a method for classifying both case management and outreach programs on a number of dimensions that can be used in comparing different models of case management and outreach, (b) a means to identify specific case management and outreach activities that might be correlated with client outcomes, and (c) a tool for developing selection criteria as well as performance appraisal dimensions to assess case management and outreach work activities.