School Social Work Case Management

Standard 10. 

Record Keeping The social work case manager shall document all case management activities in the appropriate client record in a timely manner. Social work documentation shall be recorded on paper or electronically and shall be prepared, completed, secured, maintained, and disclosed in accordance with regulatory, legislative, statutory, and employer requirements. 

The interpretation of this standard is that the SW needs to be clear, concise, and rigorous documenting school social work practices with students and families. Documentation also serves as a foundation for service planning and practice and program evaluation. Moreover, written information about clients is often needed for service reimbursement, for utilization review, and to promote organizational accountability to payers or funding sources. Updated, concise records also provide support for social work case managers in the event of a legal review. The purpose of documentation is not to supplant but, rather, to foster strong working relationships with, and services for, case 45 management clientele. Thus, documentation should reflect clients’ informed consent regarding all aspects of case management practice: assessment; service planning, delivery, and monitoring; practice evaluation and improvement; and transfer or termination of services. The social work case manager can ensure her or his practice reflects clients’ involvement by incorporating in documentation clients’ own words, stories, goals, and feedback. Social work case management documentation should reflect the following elements: 

• Student's identifying information 
• dates, times, and descriptions of contact with the student, family system, and other service providers or organizations
• initial and subsequent psychosocial assessments 
• service plan and procedures for monitoring progress toward accomplishment of the student’s goals 
• services provided and goals met
• reasoning and evidence for service dismissal