Establishing a Preventative Welfare System and Integrated Case Management Program for Vulnerable Families, Families in Crisis, and Multicultural Families: Third Year

Abstract

This study was aimed at providing a model of a preventive and individualized integrated case management service as a way to help vulnerable and at-risk families overcome poverty and other risky situations by gaining independence and stability. The study was divided into three specific parts. First, this study develops an optimal integrated case management model for Korean society. Second, the study evaluates the impacts and effectiveness of case management services for vulnerable families and families in crisis. Third, the study suggests sharing roles and developing connections between public and private case management agencies. For this study, the final version of the integrated case management model was developed by modifying and improving the existing model. The final case management model consisted of 9 sectors, 18 indicators, and 90 conditions. In each condition, risk-level measurements were conducted using 11-point risky scales. Using this model, we operated an integrated case management program with approximately 45 social service agencies. Additionally, we established a database that contained all the data from our case management processes which helped us evaluate their overall impacts. Also, this study proposes the integrated case management model for Korean society which contains the case management system (structure) and the three-step case management process model. The study found that the new integrated case management model worked remarkably well, reducing the average risk level of families by as much as 43%, from 74 points at the baseline measurement to 42 points at the end of the study. The average monthly expenditure for the entire duration of the case management process was KRW 1,197,000. Of this monthly amount, direct costs were KRW 532,000, and indirect costs, such as agency referral costs, were KRW 665,000. In sum, it cost an average of KRW 37,000 to decrease 1 point of risk level for all households (359 households). Based on the result, we conclude that the case management program was effectively and successfully operated.