I still think about a recommendation that came back while we were planning the next step for a child in care.
The client was 12 and had no substance use disorder. The case manager had put together a deeply detailed form outlining the client’s history and shared it with the clinician, business development, and leadership. It contained the information they should have needed to help identify an appropriate resource.
The team had done the work to explain who this child was and what they needed. Qualified, competent people were involved, and the planning was happening when it was supposed to.
The recommendation from the BD rep to the clinician?
A sober living program for teens and young adults.
No joke. For a 12-year-old with no substance use disorder.
That’s what I have a hard time getting past. We had already provided the history in detail. How do you come back with that recommendation after being given the information needed to understand the client?
The family had also made it clear that they were struggling financially and relying on their insurance to make care possible. Getting the next step right mattered. And imagine if that suggestion had made it to them. A parent should be able to ask why a program is being recommended for their child and get an answer that makes sense for their child’s needs.
I believe most clinicians and case managers come into this work because they want to help people. That was part of my original frustration. I was looking at a capable team that had followed the timeline, gathered the history, and brought the right people into the conversation. They had done almost everything you would expect them to do to set this up well.
And this was what came back.
Business development should be a useful part of that process. Clinicians can’t be expected to know every program or every resource available. BD can help bridge that knowledge gap and bring options back to the care team. That contribution matters, and I want those roles working together.
But the information the care team provides has to guide the options being brought back. If something is unclear, ask. If a resource might fit but there are questions, explain what still needs to be confirmed. The team should be able to understand why an option is being suggested based on what they’ve told you about the client.
I don’t know whether that form wasn’t fully read, whether something was misunderstood, or whether something else happened. I do know the history had been supplied, and I couldn’t see how the recommendation reflected it.
That deserves a closer look. The case manager had already done the work of gathering and communicating the information. We need to give just as much attention to how that information is used by the person being asked to help find a resource.
There’s a child and a family depending on what happens next. The time spent understanding them should show up in the recommendation we make.