Adolescent mental health case management: Provider perspectives

ABSTRACT

Due to the inconsistent definitions and varying models of implementation of adolescent mental health case management, the perceptions and experiences of the professionals providing services are invaluable to improving case management and mental health outcomes for adolescents. This qualitative article examines case management as a service for adolescents with mental illness within the context of one Midwestern state. The primary research question was: what are the current experiences of professionals providing case management services to adolescents with mental illness? Through collaboration with community mental health centers, researchers conducted five focus groups with adolescent mental health providers. Focus group participants discussed the challenges they currently experience while providing services to adolescents, and described current case management practices. Participants also provided suggestions for service delivery improvement. Researchers present focus group results and discuss the implications of the results at both a local and national level.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• case management
• mental health
• youth

Funding

This project was conducted as part of a contract with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services and was funded through Kansas Medicaid.

Additional information

Funding

This project was conducted as part of a contract with the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services and was funded through Kansas Medicaid.