Objective: Health Link is a case management, HIV and substance abuse intervention based in New York City. Health Link provides discharge planning to women and adolescent males in Rikers Island Detention Center and community aftercare to them in Harlem and the South Bronx. Because jail settings and inmate populations challenge case managers' efforts to provide intensive, high quality services, additional research responsibilities may be overwhelming. This case study assessed case managers' techniques for coping with dual responsibilities in hopes of improving service quality.
Methods: In 1998 and 1999, 10 case managers were interviewed about the range of services delivered, staff responsibilities and barriers and facilitators to service delivery. In 1999, seven case managers completed an additional interview describing two specific days: one spent working in the jail and one in the community.
Results: In the jail, case managers had time for direct contact with detainees for only 3-4 hours in a typical day. Case managers spent significant time cultivating relationships since achieving program goals in both jail and the community depends as much upon informal interactions as upon formal agreements. In both settings, achieving each client contact may consume as much time as the contact itself and requires intensive interpersonal skills and flexibility. Paperwork required for research may compete with building rapport and listening to clients' concerns.
Conclusions: Interviewing staff at several stages of planning and implementation may facilitate the development of reasonable goals for both service delivery and research.
Learning Objectives: 1.Describe the challenges faced by case managers serving those with histories of incarceration in both jail and community-based settings. 2.Recognize the value of staff interviews as a method for developing and assessing goals for service delivery and research
Keywords: Case Management, Jails and Prisons
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.