The Commission for Case Manager Certification expresses not only our support for, but also active commitment to fairness, equity, equality, and social justice.
Social justice is woven into key elements of the Code of Professional Conduct for Case Managers and the CDMS Code of Professional Conduct, specifically the emphasis on the dignity and worth of each individual and consistently high standards for integrity, fidelity, and objectivity.
Our profession is rooted in the ideal that we serve and advocate for our clients regardless of age, appearance, disability, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, nationality, professional level or practice setting, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. As an organization, we strive to strengthen and empower board-certified case managers and board-certified disability management specialists to exhibit these ideals in their professional lives.
We are compelled to champion these ideals in both word and deed. We bring continued focus to the first four principles of these professional codes of conduct. We expressly recommit to our responsibility to:
- Place the public interest above our own at all times;
- Respect the rights and inherent dignity of others;
- Always maintain objectivity in our relationships with clients; and
- Act with integrity, dignity, and fidelity with clients and others.
These principles are not aspirational. Board-certified case managers and Board-certified disability management specialists proactively accept responsibility for their behavior and embrace these principles in practice. Further, we commit to:
- Condemn discrimination because of age, appearance, disability, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, nationality, professional level or practice setting, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status;
- Celebrate and lift up the unique attributes of all case managers and disability management specialists;
- Value and seek diversity, equity, and inclusion within the case management and disability management professions;
- Promote an inclusive environment that encourages involvement, innovation, and expanded access to leadership opportunities that maximize engagement across all groups within the framework of the certification criteria;
- Leverage the unique characteristics, perspectives and contributions of a diverse case management and disability management population, including, but not limited to, age, appearance, disability, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, nationality, professional level or practice setting, race, religion, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status;
- Highlight diversity to collectively and effectively provide for opportunities to improve the health and welfare for clients who receive case management and disability management interventions; and
- Advocate for efforts to end systemic racism and inequity thereby affirming the inherent dignity and value of every individual.
As the Commission, we believe this statement supporting social justice aligns with our mission and core values to promote, advance, and advocate for consumer protection, quality case management, and disability management practices, ethical standards and behavior, and scientific knowledge development and dissemination.