Do client characteristics predict case management activity?

This paper addresses the need for more research on case management processes by exploring a central tenet of case management: that the amount of support provided by a case manager should be a consequence of an individual client's characteristics. Subjects are 142 children and adolescents who received case management while using mental health services at the Fort Bragg Demonstration Project, a continuum of care that eliminated commonly identified impediments to case management. Multivariate regression is used to explore associations between the variations among these clients in the amount of case management received and personal characteristics such as severity of problems. Results show client characteristics are primarily not associated with the amount of case management services. The system factors of level and duration of care were moderately associated with amount of case management provided. Implications f or case management research and policy are discussed.