Posted on 02/26/2020 - 2:42 PM
As the role of the case manager evolves with changes in health care delivery and reimbursement, the Commission for Case Manager Certification (the Commission) is expanding eligibility and updating knowledge testing for the Certified Case Manager® (CCM®) credential exam to stay current with today’s practice.
Effective March 1, 2020, the required amount of work time spent focusing on direct client contact will be reduced from 30% to 20%, allowing more professionals to enhance their knowledge and career through certification. Additionally, there will be changes in the emphasis of test questions in key knowledge domains to align with the roles and functions performed by case managers.
These changes were informed by the Commission’s 2019 Role and Function Study, a rigorous assessment of the current knowledge and skills needed for competent, effective case management performance. Conducted every five years, the study gathers data about how the field of case management is changing and the knowledge, skills and activities required in case management practice.
“The study findings affirm that case management is becoming an even more vital part of our health care delivery system as we transition to a value-based and person-centered system of care,” said MaryBeth Kurland, the Commission’s CEO. “Our decision to expand eligibility for the CCM exam reflects the increased depth and breadth of roles that case managers are playing across a greater variety of workplace settings. As the governing body of the CCM credential, the Commission is committed to ensuring that certification requirements evolve to reflect what’s happening in realworld practice.”
The 2019 study indicated a greater percentage of social workers—11.2%—make up the case management workforce, a nearly 50% increase from 2014. This rise is consistent with the increased focus on social determinants of health as part of the care management continuum. Other key findings:
- Increasing number of younger, recently certified professionals while mid-career point professionals remain highly represented. This demonstrates case management is a profession that is appealing to young professionals and is fulfilling over the long term.
- A strong emphasis on training on-the-job, likely because of the influx of younger entrants into the workforce or those transitioning into case management from other professions such as social work.
- Decreasing emphasis on disease management roles, likely because of the focus on population health and chronic care management as part of the shift to value-based care.
- A consistent emphasis on ethics and quality measurement as core competencies for professional case managers.
The eligibility change is in addition to the previous expansion allowing case managers from Puerto Rico and other US Territories to apply for the exam. Applicants from US Territories must still have the requisite work experience, license and/or education as outlined in the CCM Certification Guide.
To learn more about the Commission’s 2019 Role and Function Study, please visit the summary on our website.
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 over 50,000 professional case managers and disability management specialists. The Commission is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that oversees the process of case manager certification with its CCM® credential. The Commission also oversees the process of disability management specialist certification with its CDMS® 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.