Case management is a mechanism for coordinating a service delivery system in order to meet client needs more effectively. Despite the popularity of case management in elderly long-term care, the effectiveness of case management programs cannot be determined until practice models have been identified. This study uses statistical regression analyses to determine the effects on case management practice of combinations of variables at the client pathway and organizational levels Results indicate that only 25% of the organizations serving the elderly in New Orleans, Louisiana provide case management services. Monitoring of the client's progress is the most frequent case management function. Three variables are important in predicting patterns of case management activity: the organization's primary service, the worker's professional affiliation, and the worker's educational level. The findings establish a preliminary case management practice model based on combinations of organizational and worker variables. The implications for social work education are discussed
