case management foundation logoWhile attending the CMSA convention in Long Beach California this summer I was introduced to many new resources for case managers. By far my favorite was the Case Management Foundation. Prior to attending the convention I was unaware of the foundation and their work, so I wanted to help spread the word about this organization and the great work they are doing.

The Case Management Foundation (CMF) is a charitable organization created to support education, research, and professional development for case management professionals. They support projects and programs that help case managers in need, honor case managers who make significant contributions to the industry, contribute to case management research, and encourage collaborative and inclusive dialogue in our community.

CMF Certification Scholarships

CMF’s scholarship program awards several $500 grants to case managers who are currently experiencing an economic hardship that makes case management certification, preparation materials, or exam fee’s related to certification impossible at this time. To be eligible for the grant, applicants must have a college degree in healthcare, be working toward their case management certification, and experiencing an economic hardship. The 2016 application window is open now, and will close at 5:00 p.m. EST on October 1st.

CMF Awards

CMF sponsors two awards for the Case Management Society of America (CMSA), the Award for Case Management Research and the Award for Case Management Practice Improvement. These awards recognize an individual, group, or organization that uses findings from a research or quality/performance improvement project for innovation in the advancement of case management practice and/or improved client outcomes.

The winners of the awards are announced at the CMSA Annual Conference. This year’s winner of the Case Management Practice Improvement Award was Xerox Care and Quality Solutions (CQS) for their work using analytics to uncover hospital readmission drives, and applying quality improvement activities that resulted in better outcomes. This program was able to impact healthcare practice and improve the overall care of jaundiced newborns, resulting in the dramatic decline in newborn readmission rates and reduced healthcare costs.

Case Manager Bridge Program

The Case Manager Bridge Program seeks to build awareness of the Case Management Foundation, its projects, and programs. Bridges relay CMF communications and information to local case managers, educate case managers on the value of supporting the case management industry by contributing to the CMF, coordinate fundraisers in the local community, as well as other roles. Case Manager Bridges are essential partners in connecting CMF with the wider case management industry.

All of CMF’s programs are supported by donations from the case management community and others who support the value of case management. For more information on the foundation, including how you can contribute, visit their website SupportCMF.org