When a client arrives at The GateHouse and enters our residential treatment center, they instantly become a part of a community of advocates who want nothing more than to see them succeed. Our clients receive an incredible amount of support from our staff members and specialists, as well as other residents. And, while everyone contributes to each other’s success, our GateHouse case managers have a special role to play in the wellbeing of our clients.
Case Managers Guide Our Clients Step-by-Step Towards Recovery and Reintegration
Case managers are essential to the recovery process and reintegration of each of our clients. They serve as the liaison between our clients and all the types of support or service they may need. Determining what that level of support looks like is step one.
Quickly after a new client arrives at one of our residential treatment centers, we complete an assessment. From this, the case manager gets a clear picture of what challenges the client faces and the types of services they may benefit from the most.
Then, our case managers work alongside each client as they create their own series of goals for their treatment, recovery and reintegration back into the broader community. Once those goals are set, case managers pull in the right resources and the right support to set their clients up for success.
Case Managers Do Whatever It Takes to Provide Clients with the Support They Need
The types of support our case managers give to our clients take many forms. They truly do whatever it takes for the client to be successful. While it’s by no means a comprehensive list, here’s just a surface-level look at the areas in which our case managers help each client.
Case managers help their clients secure:
- Employment
- Housing
- Psychiatric Treatment
- Legal Counsel
- Childcare
- Spiritual Guidance
- Financial Support
This level of involvement in a client’s recovery means that no two days are the same. Case managers may go with a client to find an apartment or to a doctor’s appointment. They may teach a life skills class on any number of topics like budgeting or parenting and then spend the rest of that day on the phone connecting clients to other recovery support services.
At any moment, our case managers may need to switch from working directly with a client on their goals to working with an entire family that’s supporting a loved one through treatment.
Other times, case managers have to stop everything and quickly turn to a client in crisis. They need to have incredible de-escalation skills, listening skills and be professional jugglers of multiple clients with varying needs every day.
Their job has no description – they do whatever needs to be done.
Every Client Has Unique Needs, but Employment Almost Always Tops the List
For most clients, finding employment and maintaining a job are two of the biggest goals in their recovery plan. And, two of the most intimidating. Getting and keeping a stable job is a major goal, and a case manager goes to work to provide access to life skills programs and services that can make that goal more achievable.
For employment support, the case manager brings in an employment specialist. Together they help teach the client how to write a resume and how to dress for an interview. They’ll also conduct mock interviews to help with preparation. In many cases, the client is entering the workforce for the first time and these basic interview skills are their first exposure to the hiring process.
Case managers see clients suffer through immense stress as they prepare for employment while still working through their recovery process. This is where a case manager’s ability to listen and serve as a sounding board becomes incredibly valuable in the recovery process.
Once the client does secure employment, the case manager shifts their effort to accountability, making sure the client is reporting to work on time and maintaining the job they worked so hard to find.
Case Managers Hold a Special Place in the Recovery Process
More than most roles that make up The GateHouse’s recovery treatment team, case managers must have a unique skill set. They need to be experts at making connections and finding the best possible resources and services for each client. What most people don’t realize, however, is that case managers must also be compassionate caretakers, attentive listeners, and advocates. Case managers end up going above and beyond the logistics, taking care of a client’s emotional needs and working hard to create an environment where they can be the most successful.
This “do-it-all” ability to completely dedicate themselves to the wellbeing of our clients is why our case managers hold such a special place in the recovery process.
Accountability and Support Through Aftercare
The work that’s done at The GateHouse is just as much about recovery from substance abuse disorder as it is about teaching the life skills necessary for our clients to care for themselves and live a happy, meaningful, and healthy life. The GateHouse’s case managers are critical to the success of each client, not only during their stay but long after they’ve integrated back into their community.
Recovery is a continuous journey, not a destination. Case managers continue to work with clients for several months after they leave our residential treatment care program, and well afterward if the clients choose. The work that our case managers do is never truly done – they, like our entire team, remain advocates for all of the clients who have ever stepped foot inside our center and who are forever a part of our GateHouse community.
The GateHouse also offers transitional recovery programs for men and women at separate locations, as well as the residential treatment centers and outpatient treatment services for substance use disorder. Our helpful case managers and our entire team would love to help you with the next step in your recovery. Reach out to us today!
