Posted on 03/08/2022 - 9:45 AM
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Débora Menieur Núñez
Health2 Resources
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30 years and 50,000 board-certified case managers strong: Commission for Case Manager Certification marks historic milestone
Celebrating National Social Work Month, the Commission salutes these highly skilled professionals
MOUNT LAUREL, NJ, March. 9, 2022— Just 30 years after the first class of case managers earned the Certified Case Manager® (CCM®) credential, the Commission for Case Manager Certification is celebrating a milestone: More than 50,000 highly skilled professionals in the field currently hold the CCM® credential, the largest and oldest case manager professional certification and the only interdisciplinary, cross-practice setting case manager certification accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.
With professional training in nursing, social work and allied health areas, case managers work in a range of settings—clinics and physician offices, hospitals and home care, health plans, health management, workers’ compensation and rehabilitation organizations. The Commission ensures case managers are prepared for the critical role they play in coordinating care and advocating for clients to achieve their health goals through the management of the knowledge and role-based CCM assessment. It supports case managers with preparation and lifelong learning opportunities through recertification. In addition, the Commission’s Code of Professional Conduct for Case Managers outlines the principles, rules of conduct and standards for professional conduct for the profession.
The Commission traces its roots to 1991, when 29 representatives of case management organizations convened to discuss the need for a standardized, professional certification. The task force they formed became the Commission for Case Manager Certification, which crafted a certification process and held the first CCM exam in 1993.
Employers and consumers look to the CCM as a proxy for case management excellence. With growing demand for CCMs, the Commission has sought to diversify the settings where they can enhance client outcomes. Social workers in particular represent a growing segment of the CCM community, which the Commission will celebrate in March during National Social Work Month.
The growth in the number of CCMs is especially notable given the changes in case management practice precipitated by the pandemic. Case managers have delivered essential care coordination, team communication, client education and other case management services while overall health care resources were strained. In many cases, client interaction and health care team communication shifted to virtual rather than in-person modes, introducing new challenges.
“This is a powerful statement about the resilience of professional case managers and their ability to pursue excellence, despite challenging circumstances,” said Commission Chair Jared Young, Psy.D., CAADC, LCSW, CCM. “Case managers are prioritizing professional development and ethical practice, while affirming their role as client advocates.”
Case managers continue to persevere by preparing for and sitting for the CCM exam despite the known barriers COVID-19 placed in their paths. The Commission’s surveys of case managers and disability management specialists during the pandemic show that many are coping with COVID-related increases in caseloads and the mental and emotional burdens resulting from their work with clients and their own unprecedented levels of grief and loss. Like other professionals, they must overcome these hurdles while juggling increased personal challenges, such as gaps in child care, elder care and social isolation.
“We are seeing case managers not only carry on, but excel and professionally advance,” said MaryBeth Kurland, MPA, CAE, ICE-CCP, CEO of the Commission. “The growing number of case managers who have earned the CCM is a testament to their commitment to continually improve professionally, even when confronted with enormous challenges.”
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About the Commission for Case Manager Certification
The Commission for Case Manager Certification is the first and largest nationally accredited case management certification organization, credentialing more than 50,000 professional case managers and disability management specialists. The Commission is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that oversees the process of case manager certification with its CCM® and CDMS® credentials. Offering an extensive portfolio of certification and professional advancement activities, the Commission is the most active and prestigious certification organization supporting the practices of case management and disability management. For more information, visit www.ccmcertification.org and www.cdms.org, connect with the Commission on Facebook and follow us on Twitter @CCM_Cert.