Community Resources and Systems of Care
What the candidate must know
Know the levels of care: outpatient, intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, residential, inpatient, and crisis services. Know that care should be coordinated across systems including primary care, behavioral health, housing, vocational, legal, and peer supports.
Understand the role of case management and care coordination, and know common resources: crisis lines, mobile crisis teams, peer support, supported housing and employment, and benefits navigation. Know that warm handoffs and releases of information enable coordination.
Traps in questions
- Choosing a higher level of care than the client needs, or a lower one that cannot meet safety needs.
- Assuming a client can access a resource without considering cost, transportation, eligibility, or language.
- Failing to obtain consent before sharing information across agencies.
- Ignoring social determinants such as housing and food insecurity that drive outcomes.
Rule of thumb
Match level of care to acuity and risk, and always check practical access: eligibility, cost, transportation, and consent to coordinate.
Worked example
A client is stable but isolated and unemployed. Rather than escalating to intensive outpatient care, consider supported employment, peer support, and coordinated referrals with consent, then monitor.