Search into the practice of strengths-based case management leads German professor to Bert Nash

When Corinna Ehlers, a German social work professor from the University of Applied Sciences for Technic, Economy and Culture in Leipzig, started looking for information about case management practices in the United States, she didn’t know where her search would take her.

Ultimately, her search led her across the Atlantic Ocean to the University of Kansas School of Social Welfare and then to the Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center.

“When I started to focus on strengths-based case management, of course, I started hearing about Bert Nash, which is one of those places where they really practice strengths-based case management,” Ehlers said.

This is the third consecutive year Ehlers has spent time at Bert Nash observing how strengths-based case management is practiced. The strengths-based approach emphasizes people’s strengths rather than their problems.

During her visit in September, Ehlers shadowed Bert Nash case managers.

“I wanted to see case managers at Bert Nash practice the strengths-based work,” Ehlers said. “I wanted to observe their daily work and how they worked with the clients.”

Linda Davis, Bert Nash community support services team leader, hosted Ehlers during her visit.

“She went with case managers out in the field and shadowed them while they met with their clients out in the community,” Davis said.

Ehlers was thrilled to have the opportunity to see the strengths-based model practiced.

“It went really well,” Ehlers said. “Seeing people work together, you make connections that you don’t get if you just read about it. It’s something you have to experience.”

 Davis said the credit should go to her staff. 

“Without the willingness, skill and hard work of the case managers on my team we could not implement all the great ideas and theories involved in the strengths model of case management,” Davis said. “They make it all work, and without them we would not have an evidence-based practice.”

 After Ehlers’ extended stay — she spent two weeks at Bert Nash and KU during this trip where in the past she stayed about five days — she came away with an even greater appreciation for the work done at Bert Nash.

“I’m so impressed by the whole organization, from the management and team leader level to the case managers,” Ehlers said. “It’s one thing to have the tools and to use the tools, but if you don’t have the attitude behind it, it makes a difference.”

Davis agreed, saying, “You can’t fake it if you don’t have that foundation. This organization has always been pro client, and treatment is a very collaborative process.”

Ehlers said the strengths-based model practiced at Bert Nash puts the needs and interests of the clients first. “It’s important to see clients as people, with their own rights, interests, personalities and aspirations,” Ehlers said. Ehlers’ goal is to transfer what she’s learned about the strengths-based model to her own country.

“There are differences, of course, in the way social work is practiced in Germany compared to here,” Ehlers said. “We have different systems, but we have a long tradition of systemic work in the German social work field as well.”

Ehlers will share information she learned during her visits to Bert Nash with her social work students in Germany. She is also in the process of writing a book about strengths-based case management practices. Barbara Budrich Publishers will publish the book next year.

“I needed this inspiration,” Ehlers said of her experience observing the Bert Nash staff. CSS team leader Davis was equally impressed with Ehlers’ passion and vision.

“I was thinking about what it would be like for me to travel to Germany and take something they are doing that is very well established, try to understand that, and then bring that back and try to explain it to people and get a buy-in here,” Davis said. “That’s pretty amazing, what she has done."