By Janet Coulter, MSN, MS, RN, CCM, FCM

Case management continues to evolve as a profession. Our Standards of Practice, research, practice improvement studies, and involvement in public policy efforts enhance this evolution. The CMSA Foundation advances the practice of case management by promoting research and process improvement through grants and awards. The CMSA Foundation supports public policy by providing funding opportunities for individuals leading public policy efforts. Since 2019, the CMSA Foundation has provided scholarships, grants, and award recognitions totaling over $34,00.00. These awards include the Case Management Practice Improvement Award, the Case Management Research Award, and the Margaret Leonard Public Policy Grant.  

AWARD RECIPIENTS  

2023 Case Management Practice Improvement Award: Kaiser Permanente of Washington for their “Virtual Inpatient Case Management Program” programs. Carol Hiner, RN, MSN, CCM, and Shelley O’Brien, MSW, LICSW, CCM accepted the award.  

2022 Case Management Practice Improvement Award: Kaiser Permanente of Washington for their program “Readmission Prevention of Patient Discharging with COVID.” Kathleen Parry, BSN, RN, CCM, accepted the award.  

2020 Case Management Practice Improvement Award: West Suburban Medical Center for their program “Health Confidence & Simulation: a Novel Approach to Patient Education to Improve Patient Engagement & Reduce Readmissions.” Implementation Team Lead Colleen Morley, DNP, RN, CCM, CMAC, CMCN, and ACM-RN accepted the award.  

2020 Case Management Practice Improvement Award:  Anthem, Inc. for their “High Outreach to Promote Engagement (H.O.P.E)” program. Kelley Pennington, PhD, Staff VP, Behavioral Health, accepted the award.  

2020 Margaret Leonard Public Policy Grant: Eric Bergman   Building the Grassroots for the Illinois Nurse Licensure Compact. 

2019 Margaret Leonard Public Policy Grant: Therese Quinn and Jenny Quigley-Stickney    Professional Case Management Legislation: Understanding the Professional Case Management Model Act and Standards of Practice. 

2019 Case Management Practice Improvement Award:  Coordinated Behavioral Care for their “Pathway Home” Program. Their Program Director, Barry Granek, accepted the award. 

2019 Case Management Research Award: “Case Study: Triad Case Management Model Applying Human Performance Technology.” 

These research studies and process improvement projects have elevated the value of case management and advanced the profession. Health outcomes and the quality of life for those we serve have been improved. The Public Policy grants have influenced how professional case managers practice within their roles. All of these studies have increased the visibility of case managers while providing educational and professional development opportunities. 

The vision of the Case Management Society of America Foundation (CMSA Foundation) is to become the leading philanthropic organization that enhances case management, resulting in health improvements for those we serve. The CMSA Foundation relies on donations to provide these recognitions. How can you help?  Here are some ways you can support the CMSA Foundation:  

One-time donation 

Recurring donor 

Honor/Memorial Tributes 

Chapter Champions 

Purchases from the CMSA Foundation Product Store 

Jewelry sale at the Annual CMSA Conference 

The CMSA Foundation is grateful for all your support. 

You can make a difference! Become a donor! 

Support your profession! 

Can't make it to Providence for #CMSA2024? No problem! Register for our digital component (60+ CE Hours) and enjoy access to all main conference concurrent sessions within days of their on-site debut: https://buff.ly/3TGdkdG Plus, live stream all 3 keynote presentations, and the CMSA Annual Meeting. Digital access kicks off next week with our exclusive registrant-only webinar on May 28 and remains open for viewing and evaluating until July 31—Join us from where you are!

Bio: Janet Coulter, MSN, MS, RN, CCM, FCM is a transplant case manager with a wide variety of experiences including educator, administrator, team leader, and Director of Case Management. Janet holds a Master of Science in Nursing from West Virginia University and a Master of Science in Adult Education from Marshall University. She has published many articles in CMSA Today and the Professional Case Management Journal and served as a reviewer for the Core Curriculum for Case Management Third Edition. She currently serves as President-Elect of CMSA,, Chair of the CMSA Today Editorial Board, Chair of the Nominations Committee, and Vice-President of the CMSA Foundation board. Janet was the recipient of the CMSA National Award of Service Excellence and Southern Ohio Valley CMSA Case Management Leadership award and was recently inducted as a Case Management Fellow from CMSA.