Peer intervention in case management practice

Using peers as case managers in dealing with current and chronic public health problems such as substance abuse, gang violence, or the HIV/AIDS crisis has been shown to improve outreach efforts, monitoring, and outcomes in hard-to-reach populations. This article focuses on a case management strategy that uses peer modeling interventions to assist people in renegotiating their present life circumstances. Peer modeling engages peers of the client population as case managers and employs group-mediated, social control intervention strategies in the community to bring about positive changes in lifestyle and living conditions. The peer approach is an enhanced version of case management, utilizing the core activities of outreach, assessment, planning, linking, monitoring, and advocacy but adding peer-led, skill-based training activities, coupled with a system of positive incentives designed to encourage a more healthful lifestyle. To clarify this enhanced approach to case management, the authors present a matrix to illustrate how key case management activities might be enhanced through peer modeling interventions. We conclude by suggesting the circumstances in which an organization responsible for service delivery might consider using peer modeling in addressing difficult public health problems, and we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of such a strategy.