Case Manager

Chapman University Careers•Irvine, CA

27d

About The Position

The Case Manager for the Dean of Students Office provides front-line support for students navigating serious and often high-risk personal, academic, or health-related challenges. Reporting to the Senior Case Manager, this position plays a pivotal role in Chapman University’s student care model by conducting behavioral assessments, managing a caseload of students of concern, and coordinating referrals to critical resources both on and off campus. This position is essential to ensuring student safety, promoting equity in access to support, and enhancing institutional retention efforts. The Case Manager meets individually with students presenting with complex needs—ranging from suicidal ideation and trauma to food insecurity and medical issues—and builds individualized action plans to help them stabilize and succeed. The Case Manager also works closely with faculty, staff, campus service offices, and external providers to promote early intervention, crisis management, and comprehensive follow-up.

Requirements

Master’s degree in Social Work, Counseling, Student Affairs, Psychology, or a closely related field.
One to three years of full-time experience (or equivalent) in student support, behavioral case management, or social services.
Demonstrated interest in and experience supporting the success of college student populations, including students from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experiences.
Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, with the ability to navigate sensitive conversations and maintain discretion.
Strong organizational skills, with experience documenting case notes and managing confidential records.

Responsibilities

Provide individualized, non-clinical case management support to students experiencing personal, academic, health, financial, basic needs, or other circumstances that may impact their well-being or ability to successfully navigate the university.
Assess student needs, identify risk and protective factors, and develop individualized, trauma-informed support plans.
Provide ongoing outreach and follow-up to promote student engagement, continuity of support, and connection to appropriate resources.
Assist students in identifying, accessing, and navigating university and community-based resources.
Respond to urgent or elevated student concerns, including mental health concerns, interpersonal violence, housing or food insecurity, hospitalization, medical concerns, and other significant life circumstances, in collaboration with appropriate campus and community partners.
Recognize situations requiring immediate intervention and facilitate connection to emergency, crisis, clinical, or other appropriate services within the scope of the Case Manager role.
Guide students through accessing support services such as counseling, disability accommodations, financial aid, and community health resources.
Assist students in making first appointments with on- and off-campus providers, with consideration to identity, insurance, and accessibility needs.
Track barriers to access and collaborate with team members to close service gaps and promote equity in support systems.
Coordinate multidisciplinary care with students who have recently been discharged from the hospital/treatment program to ensure transition back into campus community.
Help students understand university processes and identify the appropriate department or resource for concerns that fall outside the scope of case management.
Maintain detailed, confidential, and timely records of all student contacts and case developments using the campus case management system (e.g., Advocate).
Document risk factors, care plans, referrals, and outcomes in accordance with FERPA, HIPAA, and university policy.
Contribute to team-based reporting, data tracking, and early alert systems to identify emerging concerns and institutional trends.
Facilitate agreement-based resolutions with parties, as appropriate.
Serve as a key point of contact for faculty and staff reporting student concerns, offering consultation and follow-up support.
Coordinate with campus departments such as Residence Life, Academic Advising, Financial Aid, SPCS, Student Health, and Disability Services to ensure holistic care.
Participate in student support programming, including Orientation, Healthy Panther, and wellness initiatives to build student trust and increase visibility of resources.
Participate in regular case consultation and supervision with the Senior Case Manager to promote consistent, ethical, and effective case management practices.
Support the training and onboarding of MSW interns and student staff through mentorship and modeling of best practices.
Contribute to internal process improvement efforts, outreach strategies, and team professional development activities.
Serve as the secondary point of contact for the Panther Pantry and basic needs support, providing coverage and assistance as needed.
Assist students experiencing food insecurity and other basic needs concerns with accessing the Panther Pantry and identifying appropriate university and community resources.
Support student referrals related to food insecurity, CalFresh, emergency financial assistance, housing concerns, and other basic needs.
Collaborate with the Senior Case Manager and campus and community partners to identify basic needs trends, barriers to access, and opportunities to strengthen available resources and services.
Participate in Panther Pantry and basic needs outreach, programming, and resource education as assigned.
During the down times, as determined by the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, meet with students with disabilities to determine academic accommodations.
Interpret diagnostic assessments, scores and reports for medical, physical, psychological and learning disabilities.
Maintain client records in accordance with legal and ethical guidelines and standards.