Abstract
Case management arose in the United States in response to the dispersal of psychiatric and social care that followed the closure of large mental hospitals. The basic idea was that a designated person, the “case manager,” would take special responsibility for a “client” in the community. The case manager would assess the client's needs and ensure, through a care plan, that suitable services were provided to meet them. The case manager would also monitor the provision of these services and maintain contact with the client.1