Use of community resources by prenatal case managers.

Comprehensive, community-based case management has been inadequately studied with regard to case managers' use of community resources. The purpose of the study was to identify what federal, state, and local health and social services are used by case managers in coordinating services for prenatal case management of high-risk, Medicaid-eligible women. Thirty-three case managers in two local health departments and one managed care organization provided three types of data about the community resources to which they refer clients. Categories of types of services were developed using content analysis. The results indicate that case managers refer their clients to 10 types of services. Federal assistance programs of Medicaid and the Women, Infant, and Children (WIC) nutrition program were used most. Hospitals, private physicians, family planning services, and transportation and housing services were frequently used. Implications for practice and research are discussed.