Case Managers?

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with having a case manager. I went to the ER last night and when talking to a crisis worker as a follow-up today, I was telling her many of the things that were going on in my life right now and she suggested having a case manager to help me with these things. I don't forget appointments, I don't generally need help getting places. I do need help trying to figure out how to appeal the disability decision and not getting overwhelmed by all that's going on. I have my therapist, med. manager, PCP, orthopedic dr, gyn dr, and GI doctor, and a reiki person. So I feel I have a good support system for my various needs, but wonder if a case manager could benefit me in any way.

Does anyone have experience with having a case manager? What do they do? In your experience was/is it worth while?

 

[Justmehere]

I do need help trying to figure out how to appeal the disability decision and not getting overwhelmed by all that's going on.

I would get an attorney for this. They can take on the entire process for you. A case manager can't really do anything to help with an appeal, and should direct you to a qualified attorney. By law, social security disability attorneys are paid only if you win, and social security pays them directly a portion out of your backpay. It's very worth it. If it's a private disability insurance case, and not SSI or SSDI, then all the more reason for an attorney. A case manager won't have the skills to make a case to the insurance appeal hearing judge.

Does anyone have experience with having a case manager? What do they do? In your experience was/is it worth while?

I have had somewhat mixed experiences with case managers. In my state, they are great for people with little information and low self advocacy skills. They are less helpful for high functioning people with goals... But we have low resources for qualified case managers.

I have had a case manager assigned by Medicaid that was an utter disaster. Told me to quit therapy and get a hobby instead, and did some things that I reported. They were fired as a result, and it turns out never licensed to practice social work. So, that stunk. I think I have a particularly unusually negative experience though.

I have a case manager with social services that manages eligibility for benefits related to medicare and medicaid. That's been helpful. They have helped problem solve a few other things. They are not trauma informed at all, but in other systems, they might be. If you seek out a case manager, look for one with a current valid license in social work. It makes a huge difference.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

Thanks, @Justmehere . I have been looking for an attorney for help with the appeal of disability, but since it's state-related and not SS, it's been really hard. No one will take on the state that I have looked into. Everyone I have contacted either works only with low-income (which technically we're not), military, SS, or the elderly. I do have a friend looking into asking one for me that I have already contacted. Thanks for the information on your experiences with case managers, too. Very helpful. My med management is done through an agency that probably has a lot of case managers, but I fear they are probably most helpful for people with low self-advocacy skills, which is not really my case. I just don't know what they could do to help me, but if there is then I wouldn't mind trying it.

 

[Nessa7]

My dad had one that was pretty helpful. The hospital bureaucracy took a call from a case worker more seriously, so she was able to get paperwork sent out a lot easier than we could on our own.

I never really call mine, and they don't usually call me back when I do. The only time that having him made a difference was when someone put in the wrong birthday and he saved me having to resubmit a ton of paperwork.

 

[JEKBreatheandBelieve]

@Nessa7 , thanks for sharing your experiences. Sounds like case managers can be hit or miss in terms of helpfulness.