Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2026

Case Management in Behavioral Health (Online)

SW 2200-30I

Course: SW 2200-30I
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2026
Department: Family Life & Human Develop
CRN: 32773

Course Description

This course introduces students to the concept of case management and how it is used to provide human services. Students will explore the many factors affecting case management today, including federal legislation, emerging client groups, technology, shifting demographics, new service delivery models, and the resulting ethical dilemmas.  Case management is designed to provide the student with knowledge regarding the importance of case management as a practice skill for social workers and health professionals, criminal justice professionals, and educators to effectively provide services in micro, mezzo, and macro systems. There will be an emphasis on the role of professional values and ethics, the development of practice skills with marginalized populations, and the impact of diversity, oppression, and discrimination on case management. There will be a special emphasis on rural/small communities. (Fall) [Graded (Standard Letter)] Prerequisite(s): PSY 1010 or SW 1010 or FLHD 1010 - Prerequisite Min Grade: C

Required Texts

  • Summers, N. (2016). Fundamentals of Case Management Practice: Skills for the Human Services. Brooks Cole.
    ISBN: 978-0357935903
Documents provided on Canvas:
  • A Field Guide on Case Management for Children With Serious Emotional Disturbances And Their Families
  • Training Manual For Case Management Certification
  • Introduction to Care Coordination

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, you will be able to:
  1. Describe the role and explain the function and delivery methods of case management in human services.
  2. Demonstrate the interpersonal skills necessary to establish and maintain rapport at all stages of case management.
  3. Demonstrate the process of assessment and relevant interviewing skills in case management.
  4. Describe whole health services delivered as part of case management.
  5. Explain the role of case managers in whole health service coordination.
  6. Describe the case management processes of outcome monitoring and reassessment.
  7. Apply case management concepts to the unique needs of multicultural clients and special populations.
  8. Describe the components of a whole health-integrated delivery model of case management.
  9. Describe documentation required in a case report, client records, and appropriate formats.
  10. Analyze examples of case reports from diverse clinical settings for completeness and correct formatting.
  11. Explain the legal and liability issues related to case management and report writing.

Course Requirements

Canvas Announcements
Please pay attention to Canvas Announcements as I use Canvas Announcements to communicate about important information and updates.

Learning Agreement
As a student in this course, you are responsible for the content presented in this course and for your own learning. If you need help, PLEASE ASK. If you have questions about the material that you are interested in or curious about that is not addressed in the course, PLEASE ASK. If you do not understand a concept being taught/discussed, PLEASE ASK. I am a resource to you; however, if you do not communicate that you need help, I cannot help you.

Emotional Safety
Due to the emotionally and psychologically vulnerable content that will be discussed throughout this course, it is essential that all participants contribute to an environment of emotional safety. In the event of a student participating in emotionally unsafe comments/behavior, the instructor will provide feedback which will serve as a warning. At that time, the student will be invited to converse with the instructor about what made their comments/behavior emotionally unsafe. If the behavior is repeated, students will be referred to campus services. If you find you are emotionally overwhelmed by content in this or any other course, the Counseling and Psychological Services Center (CAPS) is a resource available to you. The phone number for CAPS is: (435) 865-8621.

Grading
Grammar and following instructions matters! Your grade will be affected by these things. Please pay attention to page requirements - both minimums and limitations. You will lose points if the page minimum is not reached (headings don’t count). While your grade will be impacted according to assignment rubrics for incorrect grammar and poor writing mechanics, because of the amount of time it takes to do so, I will not be editing your papers as I grade them.
  • Assignments are graded on creative thought and personal insights, integration of course concepts and principles, and clarity of writing and thought. Please feel free to show me your paper or talk to me about it at any time.

AI Policy
Since writing, self-reflection, and critical thinking skills are part of the learning outcomes of this course, I expect that all work submitted for this course will be your own. Additionally, you are not allowed to use any generative artificial intelligence tools (e.g. ChatGPT or Dall-E 2) at ANY STAGE of the work process, including preliminary ones. AI-generated submissions are not permitted and will be considered as plagiarism. If it is discovered that you are using AI to generate work that you turn in as your own, SUU Policy 6.33 for Academic Integrity will be followed.

Course Outline

Weekly Discussion Boards (140 points total, 20 each week)
Each discussion board will provide specific questions to reflect on and respond to. You will be graded on comprehension and critical self-reflection, effective written communication (including spelling and grammar, and clear formatting), and completion of all elements of the prompt for the week. You will post an initial response post by midweek Wednesday at midnight. You will then respond to two classmates' posts by midnight on Saturday. 

Chapter Exercises (120 points total, 30 each week)
Each week you will complete a chapter exercise for the week’s assigned reading. The purpose of this assignment is to facilitate the application of the material you have been learning in each chapter. This will further help you to apply the material you have been learning. These chapter exercises and case studies will further help you prepare for a career in behavioral health and understand how to provide case management services. Each exercise will provide specific instructions on a situation to reflect and respond to. These exercises are due midnight Sunday each week. 

Case Management Exams (200 points total, 100 each)
There will be two exams to gauge content comprehension. The first will be halfway through the course and will focus on case management in children’s mental health settings specifically. The second exam will be at the end of the course and will focus on adult case management concepts. Each exam will be worth 100 points, are open-note, and are due Friday by midnight of the week they are assigned.

Final Case Study (200 points)
You will complete a full case study. You will write your case study with a fictitious client. You can use examples of case studies from the book, if you like. You will want to be sure you include enough information to complete a full client record in detail. Your case study needs to be at least one page, as well as all the completed forms. 
In the Canvas assignment you will find fillable forms you will complete for your case study. These forms can also be found in the textbook. This is your opportunity to demonstrate your integration of the material and preparation and understanding of case management.

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

  1. Late assignments will be accepted at a 10% penalty per day after the due date, including weekends (the late policy does not apply to the midterm or final.)  You do not need to ask permission to turn in something late, just turn it in and anticipate the late policy to apply.  
  2. Late midterms, finals and presentations will not be accepted without DRC Accommodations.
  3. All late work is due on the last day of instruction as indicated by the University Academic Calendar. 
  4. If you’re experiencing a physical and/or emotional health challenge and feel an exception not covered above should be provided to you, please follow these steps: a) Reach out to the DRC first and ask for accommodations as this is the best way to ensure an equitable treatment for all, b) please then contact me via email so I can best support you c) If you are not in crisis, but want to discuss late work or any other issues, please reach out.
  5. All assignments are due by 11:59 pm on the due date unless otherwise noted, and should be submitted via Canvas. Please always check the time that assignment is due. In some cases, there will be an assignment due at 5pm for a specific reason. I will not accept "I thought it was due at midnight" as an excuse.

Attendance Policy

  1. Mode of delivery: This course is 100% online. There are no required sessions when you must be logged in to Canvas/Zoom at a scheduled time.
  2. Pace of online activities: This course is divided into weekly modules. Students are expected to keep pace with weekly deadlines but may freely schedule their efforts within that time frame. You are responsible for monitoring deadlines throughout the course and should plan ahead accordingly.
  3. Credit hours and work expectations: This is a 3-credit-hour course. 
    Generally, students should expect around 3 hours per week of time spent on direct instruction (instructor content and Canvas activities, for example) in addition to 3 hours of homework (reading and assignment preparation, for example) to receive a grade of (C) average. 
  4. Attendance and participation requirements: Because this is an online course, your attendance is based on your online activity and participation. The following is a summary of students' expected participation: 
    • Participating in online activities for attendance: AT LEAST ONCE PER WEEK. You are expected to log in to the course in Canvas every week. During most weeks you will probably log in many times.
    • Participating in discussion forums: 2+ TIMES PER WEEK. As part of your participation, each week you can expect to post at least twice as part of our substantive class discussion on the week's topics.

Course Fees

Content for this section will be provided by the instructor.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Religious / Conscience Belief Accommodation

RELIGIOUS / CONSCIENCE BELIEF ACCOMMODATION: In accordance with SUU Policy 6.7 Student Belief Accommodation, students may request, in writing, that their faculty accommodate their sincerely held religious or conscience beliefs. Students should provide their faculty with sufficient advanced notice, if possible within the first five (5) business days of the semester or session, or thereafter with good cause for requesting an accommodation after the first five (5) business days.

Faculty must provide a schedule accommodation or excuse an absence, in any course, for students to observe or participate in religious holidays or an organized activity conducted under the auspices of the student’s religious tradition or religious organization.

In courses that are required for graduation or for an academic major, a faculty member may accommodate a religious or conscience belief by modifying an assignment or examination if its content conflicts with the student’s belief. Faculty may decline the accommodation if it would fundamentally alter the course requirements. If declined, the student may request review by a neutral arbiter using the Belief Accommodation Request Form: https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv&layout_id=5

Questions go to Assistant Provost Jake Johnson at johnsonj@suu.edu.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.