Considering the at-risk population in Job Corps and limited time on center, the CMHC will need an integrated case management approach. This involves interaction with the disability coordinator (to coordinate appropriate accommodations); TEAP specialist; counseling, vocational, education, and residential living staff; and the physician regarding student behavior, compliance, medication, side effects, and treatment progress. The purpose of the case management approach is to coordinate and ensure continuity and integration of services for students with mental health disabilities. It is highly suggested that centers assign a case manager for students with mental health disabilities. A career counselor is the ideal case manager.

After evaluation of the student's mental health limitations, the CMHC should prepare a case management plan. The plan should be tied to Job Corps program elements and specific staff members. The case manager is responsible for following up on the management plan designed by the CMHC. The CMHC, disability coordinator, and case manager work together to provide a bridge between the student's needs and staff skills. For example, if the plan calls for group recreational activities, the disability coordinator, career counselor and CMHC discuss this aspect of the management plan with the recreation staff. From this discussion, the recreation staff gains understanding of what the student needs and the CMHC gains awareness of what is available. Sometimes, only one intervention by the CMHC will be necessary and the disability coordinator or counselor/case manager continues the follow through. In other cases, visits to the CMHC by the student may be an actual part of the management plan (e.g., brief therapy intervention).

The management plan should be designed to improve the student's mental health and to strengthen his/her performance in the vocational and educational programs; it should be very specific and realistically tied to the center program. The CMHC should document the clinical impression and the management plan, including specific staff involvement in the student's health record. In general, a management plan should be concise, no longer than one page.

Counseling staff, and in some cases, the disability coordinator and selected health and/or academic/vocational instructors are usually responsible for some aspects of the management plan. The case manager monitors nonhealth staff involvement in the plan and may work with a teacher to monitor the student on performance goals. The CMHC may also request that the case manager involve the student's parents/guardian in some aspect of the plan. The student should also be involved in developing his/her management plan; expectations for behavior should be clearly outlined in writing.

Delegating management plan components does not relieve the CMHC of the responsibility for the clinical outcome. The case manager should keep in contact with the CMHC regarding the student's progress, and the CMHC should assess the effects of the care provided by the health and wellness staff. The plan may need adjustment and revision as the student's needs and prognosis change. Students are also encouraged to become self-advocates as they enter into the career transition phase. Students should be allowed to take more responsibility for contacting service providers, monitoring progress, and arranging accommodations. Appointments with the case managers may then become less frequent.

Lastly, but most important, case management notes by the health and wellness staff and CMHC should appear in the health record, so there is documentation of follow-up care, even without face-to-face interaction with the student. If case management notes do not appear in the health record, it can only be concluded that follow-up care did not occur.

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