Commission for Case Manager Certification marks silver anniversary

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J., Oct. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The need for highly-skilled case managers to improve care coordination and serve patients as guides in a complex health care system has never been greater. The Commission for Case Manager Certification's (the Commission) dedication to prepare and certify a knowledgeable, ethics-driven workforce is celebrated this week.

Twenty-five years after a small group of case managers established an independent certification for the profession, the Commission will honor professional case managers during National Case Management Week, Oct. 9-15, 2016.

Applications for the Certified Case Manager® credential (CCM®) are accepted only during three windows over the course of each year. In recognition of its anniversary, the Commission will extend the current application period through Saturday, Oct. 15--the end of National Case Management Week—for the first time in the Commission's history.

"Employers and consumers look to the CCM credential as the standard for competence in case management, based on experience, education and a challenging exam," said Jane Harkey, RN-BC, MSW, CCM, chair of the Commission. "We know there is great need for a highly skilled case manager workforce. Certification is the proxy for excellence in case management."

In 1991, 29 representatives of case management organizations met for a consensus meeting in Dallas to discuss the need for a professional certification—a distinguishing standard that could be recognized across the health care industry. The task force they formed became the Commission for Case Manager Certification. The leaders defined the case manager role, established a definition of case management, and recommended a formal certification process--stringent eligibility criteria and a science-based exam. By 1993, more than 18,000 case managers applied to take the first-ever Certified Case Manager exam.

Today, the Commission is the oldest and largest organization certifying case managers. More than 40,000 case managers currently hold the credential, with backgrounds in nursing, social work and allied health areas. These professionals work in a range of settings--health plans, hospitals, health management, workers' compensation and rehabilitation organizations, independent practice and consulting firms. The Commission is a leader in ongoing case manager preparation and lifelong learning opportunities through its education programs and recertification requirements.

Appropriately, the Commission will host its annual CCMC New World Symposium™ in Dallas—the same city that hosted that first meeting to explore certification. The Jan. 26-28, 2017 conference features nationally recognized experts presenting topics critical to case manager practice. The Commission will offer a special registration rate to those who register during National Case Management week. The theme, "Case Management: Expertise for the Future," will focus on the critical importance of case manager workforce development. To learn more or to register, go to symposium.ccmcertification.org.

"The Commission's core is certification, which sets our credential apart," Harkey said. "It's not a membership organization, so we are free to focus on current case management practice." The Commission is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, the nation's leading developer of standards for certification programs.

The Commission's efforts to boost the case manager workforce resulted in an announcement earlier this year of its collaboration with the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) to give more social workers the opportunity to earn the CCM. The CCM also meets the requirements for American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Recognition status for hospitals. Veterans and their families can receive reimbursement for becoming board certified under the Post 9/11 GI bill.

About the Commission for Case Manager Certification
The Commission for Case Manager Certification (the Commission) is the first and largest nationally accredited organization that certifies more than 40,000 professional case managers. The Commission is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that oversees the process of case manager certification with its CCM^® credential. The Commission is positioned as the most active and prestigious certification organization supporting the practice of case management. For more information, visit www.ccmcertification.org, connect with the Commission on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @CCM_Cert.

SOURCE Commission for Case Manager Certification

Related Links

https://ccmcertification.org/