Milaney Katrina
Calgary Homeless Foundation, AB, Canada.
Prof Case Manag. 2011 Nov-Dec;16(6):281-7; quiz 288-9. doi: 10.1097/NCM.0b013e31821ee840.
PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: Homelessness is a social condition increasing in frequency and severity across Canada. Interventions to end and prevent homelessness include effective case management in addition to an affordable housing provision. Little standardization exists for service providers to guide their decision making in developing and maintaining effective case management programs. The purpose of this 2-part article is to articulate dimensions of promising practice for case managers working in a "Housing First" context. Part 1 discusses research processes and findings and part-2 articulates the 6 Dimensions of Quality.
Practice settings include community-based organizations that employ and support case managers whose primary role is moving people from homelessness into permanent housing.
FINDINGS/CONCLUSIONS: Six dimensions of promising practice are critically important to reducing barriers, improving sector collaboration, and ensuring case managers have appropriate and effective training and support. Dimensions of promising practice are: (1) collaboration and cooperation-a true team approach; (2) right matching of services-person-centered; (3) contextual case management-culture and flexibility; (4) the right kind of engagement-relationships and advocacy; (5) coordinated and well managed system-ethics and communication; and (6) evaluation for success-support and training.
Effective, coordinated case management, in addition to permanent affordable housing has the potential to reduce a person or family's homelessness permanently. Organizations and professionals working in this context have the opportunity to improve processes, reduce burnout, collaborate and standardize, and most importantly, efficiently and permanently end someone's homelessness with the help of dimensions of quality for case management.
目的/目标：无家可归现象在加拿大日益频繁且严重。终结和预防无家可归的干预措施包括有效的个案管理以及提供经济适用房。服务提供者在制定和维持有效的个案管理项目时，几乎没有标准化的指导来辅助决策。这篇分两部分的文章旨在阐明在“住房优先”背景下工作的个案管理者的成功实践维度。第一部分讨论研究过程与结果，第二部分阐述质量的六个维度。
实践场景包括社区组织，这些组织雇佣并支持个案管理者，其主要职责是帮助人们从无家可归状态转变为拥有永久性住房。
研究结果/结论：成功实践的六个维度对于减少障碍、改善部门协作以及确保个案管理者获得适当且有效的培训与支持至关重要。成功实践的维度包括：（1）协作与合作——真正的团队协作方式；（2）服务的正确匹配——以人为本；（3）情境化个案管理——文化与灵活性；（4）正确类型的参与——关系与倡导；（5）协调且管理良好的系统——道德与沟通；（6）成功评估——支持与培训。
除了永久性经济适用房外，有效的、协调的个案管理有潜力永久减少个人或家庭的无家可归状况。在此背景下工作的组织和专业人员有机会改进流程、减少倦怠、进行协作与标准化，最重要的是，借助个案管理质量维度的帮助，高效且永久地终结某人的无家可归状态。
