Case management with homeless women: a descriptive study

Abstract

This article presents the results of a three-year survey of the activities of two case managers following 25 homeless women with substance abuse problems. The case managers' activity record indicated that a great deal of the case managers' energy was devoted to providing direct, concrete services. More than half the clients received four weekly contacts, for an average total of two hours/client/week. Furthermore, direct support accounted for 42.2% of all contacts reported by the case managers, suggesting that, although case managers fill many different functions, establishing and maintaining a significant relationship with the participants constituted a major part of their work. The study confirms that a high staff-to-client ratio is required to respond to the multiple needs of this population.