Case Management Scenario IFSP

Case Management Scenario IFSP Setting: IFSP Meeting

Janna (Mom), Erica (Service Coordinator/EIS), Pat (SLP), Tony (ECI child)

Erica: Ok Janna now that we have discussed Tony’s development and his strengths and needs, our next step is to discuss other needs your family might have related to Tony’s development. It’s the case management needs section. For example, some families need help accessing community resources, like WIC or food stamps. Other families need help accessing daycare or medical insurance programs. Some families might have a need for information about their child’s diagnosis. Do you have any questions about this next section on the IFSP?

Janna: No, not right now. But, I don’t think I really have any other needs except for any help you can give us for Tony. I don’t need any social work stuff.

Erica: Well, when I first came out to see you, we talked about your concerns with Tony’s pediatrician and not being able to get in to see an ENT. This is a great example of something I could help you with. Case management services don’t have to just be about social work things, like housing or food. I can help you and your family with a medical need or an educational need or even an informational need. ECI provides case management service in addition to the other services on the IFSP to make sure you have the resources you need to help Tony meet his developmental goals. Going back to the ENT example – Tony needs to see an ENT to get a hearing test and to discuss the possibility of tubes. These tubes will keep his ears clear so he can hear words clearly. Hearing more sounds and hearing clearer words will help improve his language skills. And, we want to make sure that his speech delay is not caused by a hearing loss.

Janna: Alright. Well, definitely put down that I want a referral for Tony to see an ENT and I want Tony to have a different pediatrician. I wanted to see an ENT a long time ago and she wouldn’t give me a referral.

Erica: Ok. I will check that off as a need. When I was here last time, we filled out his medical insurance paperwork and he had CHIP. Has anything changed with his insurance since then?

Janna: No, he still has CHIP.

Erica: Ok. I am going to write that he has CHIP on the IFSP as a resource. Let’s go ahead and list all of the other resources your family has. I am not going to write down his current pediatrician as a resource since you are looking for a new one. When we did his eco map after the evaluation, I remember that you said that he wasn’t seeing any other medical specialists. Is that correct?

Janna: Yes. I have been trying to see the ENT, but his pediatrician just won’t give me a referral. Erica: Ok. I also remember from his eco map that your sister and mother are both important people in your family’s life and that they both live close to you. Do you consider them a resource? Do they give you support?

Janna: Oh yeah. My mom and my sister both provide a lot of support to me and they are both willing to watch Tony anytime I need a break.

Erica: That’s great! What about financial resources? I think you mentioned that Tony’s dad works for ABC Inc.

Janna: Yeah, he has a steady job and I don’t have to worry about him losing his job in this economy, which is a relief.

Erica: That is a relief. What other resources or supports does your family have?

Janna: Well, I feel lucky that we have a nice house and both our cars are running well, knock on wood. I know a lot of families are really struggling right now.

Erica: Yes, that’s true.

Janna: One thing that I do wish is that I had more friends with young children. My mom and sister are great support, but they don’t have young kids right now, and neither of them had kids with speech delays. I just want someone to talk to that is going through the same things that I am going through.

Erica: Janna, how would you feel about going to a parent support group? A lot of our ECI families find the groups really helpful and you can meet other parents who are going through similar situations as you.

Janna: I would like that.

Erica: Is there anything else I can help you with right now? I know you said you didn’t have any social work needs, but does Tony have any other medical needs besides a new pediatrician and seeing the ENT? Does he have any educational needs, like finding a preschool?

Janna: No, I don’t think that Tony needs anything else. I don’t want him attending day care right now.

Erica: Is there anything else that we can do to help you support Tony’s development?

Janna: I don’t know if this is really relevant, but am thinking about going to nursing school. Do you have any information about financial aid?. I just don’t know where to start looking. Erica: We won’t put that as an outcome on the IFSP, but I can give you some information about financial aid. Ok. Let me just review the case management outcomes that we have so far in your IFSP. I’ve documented “Tony will be seen by a new pediatrician” “Tony will receive a referral to an ENT”, and “Janna will receive information about parent support groups for young children with speech delays”. We’ll write the rest of his developmental outcomes next.

I will need to do some research to see which CHIP doctors in your area are taking new patients. I can call you with that information by next week. Once you have a new pediatrician, we can work on getting an ENT referral. I need to do some research, but I am sure I can provide you some ideas of where to look for financial aid information by next week too. I do have a list of some parent support groups with me. This list has Parent to Parent, the AISD parent cooperative and the Child Inc. parent support groups. You can call the numbers to find out their next meeting times.

Janna: Great. Thanks!

Erica: Just to let you know, we will be reviewing and following up on the IFSP outcomes on an ongoing basis. We can add new information to your IFSP whenever a new need comes up, whether it be developmental or related to case management. Now, let’s move on to the next section of the IFSP which is writing the developmental outcomes you want Tony to achieve in the next 6 months. When we were reviewing all of his developmental skills and his strengths and needs, we discussed that he is not telling you what he wants. So six months from now, what would you like to hear him say….