CMSA Southern California (1CE Ethics) – Case Management Ethics: Navigating Challenges with a Steady Moral Compass

Registration & Information Here

7:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. PT | 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. MT | 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. CT | 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. ET

Topic 1
Case Management Ethics: Navigating Challenges with a Steady Moral Compass (1 CCM Ethics)

In an era marked by evolving healthcare policies and heightened political polarization, professional case managers must anchor their practice in ethical principles to ensure quality, equitable care for all clients. This presentation explores the ethical foundations of case management, focusing on the CCMC Code of Professional Conduct and CMSA Standards of Practice. The five core ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, fidelity, justice, and nonmaleficence will provide a basis from which attendees will examine contemporary dilemmas arising from changes in legislation, health coverage, and immigration enforcement, and learn how these challenges intensify ethical pressures in daily practice.

Through case scenarios and discussion, attendees will gain insights into applying ethical principles to real-world situations, such as advocating for patient autonomy, ensuring justice in care delivery, and upholding fidelity despite resource constraints. The presentation also highlights the importance of acknowledging personal biases, mitigating disparities, and fostering inclusive, trauma-informed care environments. Case managers’ unique position as ethical leaders and advocates within interprofessional teams will be emphasized, along with practical strategies for self-care and resilience against moral distress.

By returning to the core tenets of ethical practice, case managers can confidently navigate complex, politically fraught circumstances, reinforcing their professional identity and commitment to compassionate, equitable care. This session will empower case managers to use ethics as an active guide—not just a written standard—anchoring their decision-making in times of uncertainty and change.

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
1. Define the five foundational ethical principles—autonomy, beneficence, fidelity, justice, and nonmaleficence— and describe their application in case management practice.
2. Analyze real-world ethical dilemmas faced by case managers in the context of shifting laws, policies, and societal pressures, and identify strategies for ethical decision-making, including application of the CCMC Code of Professional Conduct and CMSA Standards of Practice.
3. Explore the role of case managers as ethical leaders and advocates for equitable, trauma-informed care, including approaches to addressing personal bias and promoting policy change

Presenter: Dr. Raine Arndt-Couch, DSW, JD, LCSW, CCM, FCM
Director of Social Services Management, Medi-Cal Population Health Management, Blue Shield of California

Topic 2
Medically Tailored Meals: They’re NOT Artificial, but They ARE Definitely Intelligent

“You are what you eat” is ancient wisdom, but medically tailored meals (MTM) are part of the modern Food as Medicine movement. Project Angel Food is an accredited member of the Food Is Medicine Coalition and one of the leading providers of MTM in the country, making and delivering more than 1.5
million MTM per year in Los Angeles County. We will help you understand the science behind MTM and how the intervention fits within a patient’s care plan, addresses nutrition insecurity, and provides a cost-effective treatment for many chronic health conditions. We’ll discuss how MTM has been taking root in government conference rooms and in doctors’ exam rooms. You’ll be able to offer this service to your patients knowing that it can help them, as one of our clients said, “go from feeling like they’re on their deathbed to feeling like they’re dancing in the streets.”

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
1. Define a “medically tailored meal” and understand the role of nutrition education in a medically tailored meal intervention -- including how the treatment might look for exemplar chronic health conditions of diabetes, chronic kidney disease, congestive heart failure, and HIV/AIDS.
2. Describe the impact of medically tailored meals on improving health outcomes, reducing healthcare costs, and increasing patient quality of life.
3. Recognize how the Food as Medicine movement is elevating the profile and availability of medically tailored meals around the country – and especially in California.

Presenters:
Benjamin R. Martin, J.D., Director of Programs & Strategy, Project Angel Food
Max Schroder, RDN, M.Ed., Registered Dietitian, Project Angel Food

Topic 3
Preconception and Interoception Health Impacts on Maternal & Infant Health

In many under-resourced communities, pregnant individuals often face limited access to early and regular healthcare. This lack of access, combined with bias and mistrust of the healthcare system, disproportionately affects pregnancy and birth outcomes of some populations. By adopting a patient-centered approach to care, we hope to build trust to aid in improving both birth outcomes and the infant's first year of life. This presentation underscores the critical importance of understanding one's health before and between pregnancies, highlighting how undiagnosed and unmanaged chronic diseases can significantly impact pregnancies and maternal and infant health outcomes.

Learning Outcomes: At the end of this presentation, attendees will be able to:
1. Compare information presented against current knowledge.
2. Identify strategies that may drive better maternal and infant health outcomes.
3. Discuss the importance of understanding one's health before and between pregnancies with birthing people.

3 Contact Hours
BRN - CEP 14032
CCM - Activity Code Pending
Approval Code - Pending

Provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #CEP14032 for 3 contact hours.

Tickets
$40.00 Member Registration (Early Bird Price, ends on Jan. 24th)
$50.00 Non-Member Registration (Early Bird Price, ends on Jan. 24th)
$175.00 CMSA-SCC Vendor Booth (Please register as 'guest')