WHAT DOES A LEAD CASE MANAGER DO?

Published: Jan 13, 2026 - The Lead Case Manager assesses medical, social, and behavioral needs, develops care plans, coordinates interdisciplinary meetings, and manages transitions of care for assigned populations. This role involves collaborating across healthcare settings, ensuring compliant communication, supporting team productivity, and guiding care teams through training, audits, and quality standards. The manager also applies evidence-based criteria to coordinate care, links clients to community resources, and supports clinical leaders in maintaining program consistency.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Lead Case Manager

1. Lead Case Manager Job Description

  • Program Support: Support the Program Manager by monitoring and reviewing program documentation for quality, including the approval of ISP plans.
  • Compliance Monitoring: Ensure case notes are compliant and ensure corrections are made.
  • Internal Auditing: Contribute to monthly internal monitoring reviews.
  • Case Conferencing: Serve as a go-to resource for case managers needing support with ad hoc case conferencing.
  • Intake Assessment: Conduct intake and individualized needs assessments and collaborate with guests.
  • Service Planning: Develop an Individualized Service Plan (ISP) that addresses barriers to obtaining services, housing, and healthcare.
  • Case Management: Provide ongoing case management support.
  • Benefits Assistance: Assist with benefits establishment.
  • Documentation Support: Assist with obtaining necessary personal identification and records.
  • Employment Support: Provide employment assistance and linkage.
  • Housing Coordination: Provide housing referral, location, advocacy, and application support.
  • Service Coordination: Provide linkage and coordination support for any services necessary to achieve ISP goals.

2. Lead Case Manager Essential Functions

  • Team Leadership: Host team meetings and trainings.
  • Performance Management: Ensure program production targets established by executive and program management are met and exceeded on a continuing basis.
  • Data Management: Maintain applicant data for HAF program applicants, including daily review and quality control of incoming data.
  • Staff Supervision: Oversee a team of case managers and lead direct outreach to prospective HAF applicants.
  • Intake Management: Direct the intake period and assist applicants in completing their files for eligibility.
  • Eligibility Review: Assist in determining applicant eligibility for the specific HAF program.
  • Quality Assurance: Complete QA/QC of program deliverables and client deliverables.
  • Cross-Functional Coordination: Coordinate with other program functional areas to maximize production efficiencies.
  • Administrative Support: Complete data entry, scanning and uploading documentation, answer phones, and maintain communication logs.
  • Reporting Analysis: Report daily to management on trends and issues.

3. Bilingual Lead Case Manager General Responsibilities

  • Clinical Leadership: Provide leadership and direction to the Case Managers on services and documentation for clients in care at Maryville Academy.
  • Interdisciplinary Collaboration: Collaborate with the Treatment Teams and Program Director in setting up mechanisms.
  • Care Planning Oversight: Ensure that Admission Notes, Mental Health Assessments, and Individual Service Plans are developed and implemented by the treatment teams.
  • Therapeutic Guidance: Encourage the Case Managers to think and act therapeutically.
  • Documentation Expertise: Take a leadership role in maintaining up-to-date and accurate knowledge of all required documentation for the Case Managers under supervision.
  • File Review: Conduct formal reviews of files and computerized records, ensuring content, applicability, and accuracy.
  • Quality Standards: Contribute to the implementation and consistent application of Maryville quality standards and program requirements.
  • Team Coordination: Conduct regular meetings with Case Managers, treatment team members, and administrators to facilitate resources and services for youth.
  • Interagency Relations: Provide leadership in facilitating effective interagency working relationships.

4. Bilingual Lead Case Manager Key Accountabilities

  • Service Evaluation: Evaluate the services provided by Case Managers in relation to specific goals and standards and recommend modifications.
  • Standards Compliance: Keep up to date with standards of care concerning the population each program serves.
  • Clinical Knowledge: Maintain current knowledge of literature, clinical trends, and field direction related to case management.
  • External Collaboration: Work collaboratively and professionally with outside consumers and ORR staff.
  • Program Review: Cooperate fully with program review and evaluation and remain open to suggestions to improve service delivery for youth.
  • Team Development: Develop and maintain a treatment team approach to the day-to-day functioning of Case Managers within each program.
  • Team Leadership: Demonstrate skills in team development, collaboration, and open communication.
  • Policy Education: Maintain an active presence within the agency and educate Case Managers on new ORR policies and procedures.
  • Policy Implementation: Ensure the implementation of all Maryville policies and procedures.

5. Bilingual Lead Case Manager Duties and Roles

  • Interdepartmental Liaison: Act as liaison with other programs and Maryville support services such as Staff Education, Administrative support staff, Human Resources, and Performance Improvement and Performance Evaluation.
  • Policy Compliance: Ensure adherence to agency policies and procedures regarding the hiring and training of new Case Managers.
  • Credential Oversight: Ensure, in collaboration with the Human Resources Department, that all Case Managers have the appropriate credentials, training, and expertise to do the work necessary for their position.
  • Training Coordination: Collaborate with Clinical Directors, Staff Education, and external experts to facilitate training staff in areas of deficiency.
  • Performance Evaluation: Set performance goals and complete Performance Evaluations for all employees directly supervised.
  • Personnel Management: Initiate personnel actions, including disciplinary procedures, for all employees directly supervised.
  • Training Compliance: Ensure that all employees directly supervised are up to date on initial and annual training requirements, as well as supplementary training required by the programs in which they work.
  • Committee Participation: Participate in agency committee work.
  • Quality Improvement: Participate in continuous performance quality improvement.

6. Lead Case Manager Key Accountabilities

  • Case Management: Provide individual case management to families enrolled in the Night Shelter program and families on the waitlist by providing services.
  • Staff Training: Perform and provide training and support to case managers to complete family intakes into the Night Shelter program.
  • Needs Assessment: Perform Initial Assessment of Strengths and Needs for incoming families.
  • Waitlist Management: Maintain the waitlist, contacting families for intake and pre-screening for program readiness.
  • Client Meetings: Meet with families in weekly CM meetings and in shorter face-to-face follow-ups on-site.
  • Goal Support: Provide families with ongoing, supported movement toward IFSP goals and tasks.
  • Team Leadership: Provide leadership, communication, and support to case managers, staff, volunteers, and interns in regard to family IFSPs, goals, and needs.
  • Service Documentation: Ensure proper recording of service transactions among staff, volunteers, and interns in coordination with the Case Manager and Program Manager.

7. Lead Case Manager Tasks

  • ROI Management: Complete ROIs and update ROI contacts in WellSky.
  • Data Tracking: Maintain a case management spreadsheet, sharing it with the CM Team and appropriate staff.
  • Referral Coordination: Communicate and facilitate referrals among outside agencies, including DHS, White Bird, etc.
  • Program Referrals: Refer clients to agency programs such as 2nd Chance Renter's Education, Barrier Busters, Head Start, FPK, etc.
  • Community Outreach: Develop and maintain outreach efforts and establish working relationships with community agencies and programs for warm handoff referrals.
  • File Management: Maintain hardcopy and digital client files.
  • Team Leadership: Lead and participate in weekly CM team meetings and trainings.
  • Housing Navigation: Attend Housing Navigation meetings.

8. Senior Lead Case Manager Responsibilities

  • Staff Supervision: Supervise and manage deployed Human Services Case Management lead case managers and other deployed Human Services Case Management contract support staff.
  • Release Oversight: Ensure that deployed contract staff are successfully completing the safe and timely release of Unaccompanied Minors.
  • Data Handling: Ensure appropriate handling of all data collected by Human Services Case Management case managers.
  • Site Leadership: Deploy to lead and support all active sites.
  • Operational Flexibility: Work flexible hours to lead and support influx, remote, and emergency sites.
  • Complex Cases: Responsible for staffing any complex cases requiring transfers, home studies, post-release services with FFS, CFS, lead case manager, and case managers.
  • Data Auditing: Audit and analyze data to ensure accuracy with the submission of Family Reunification Packets.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Collaborate with all shelter departments to ensure compliance as per ORR requirements.
  • Case Tracking: Responsible for tracking reunifications, discharges, transfers, and long-stay cases.
  • OJT Training: Provide OJT to the Case Management Department.
  • Staff Training: Provide continuous training to all employees, in accordance with policies and procedures, ORR updates, and Field Guidance.
  • Quality Assurance: Serve as a member of the quality assurance team.
  • New Hire Training: Provide training to new case managers in the reunification, transfer, repatriation, and transfer process.

9. Lead Case Manager Duties

  • Case Management: Perform the functions of the Case Manager II to include assessment of the medical, social, and behavioral needs of an assigned population, Care Plan development and prioritization to transition members to optimal levels of health and self-management.
  • Team Coordination: Coordinate interdisciplinary team meetings.
  • Provider Collaboration: Collaborate across providers and healthcare settings to ensure optimal quality outcomes for an assigned population.
  • Care Transitions: Provide transition of care interventions.
  • Care Coordination: Facilitate care coordination, self-management planning, discharge planning, and health education for an assigned population.
  • Community Linkage: Facilitate linkage to appropriate community resources to address social determinants of health.
  • Clinical Review: Adjud referrals and apply evidence-based clinical criteria to coordinate member care needs across all care settings.
  • Regulatory Communication: Ensure member communication and notices are composed in a manner consistent with regulatory standards.
  • Team Communication: Communicate with team members daily, weekly, and monthly regarding productivity and support the team in meeting program outcomes.
  • Clinical Oversight: Support clinical leaders in ensuring competency and consistency across programs, including conducting chart reviews, performing return demonstrations, and random audits based on performance.
  • Staff Development: Support onboarding, training, and education across care teams.
  • Policy Compliance: Adhere to the Policies and Procedures set forth by the Quality Management Committee.
Relevant Information
What Does A Clinical Case Manager Do?
What Does A Case Manager Do?