ACMA and CMSA Join Together to Celebrate National Case Management Week October 5 - 11, 2003

Case Management Society of America (CMSA) and the American Case Management Association (ACMA) are pleased to announce the joint celebration of National Case Management Week.

Case Management Society of America (CMSA) and the American Case Management Association (ACMA) are pleased to announce the joint celebration of National Case Management Week. CMSA and ACMA join a number of other national organizations supporting CM Week in efforts to unify case management professionals, to educate the public about case management, and to increase awareness and recognition of the significant contributions case managers make to quality healthcare for patients, healthcare providers, and payers.
This year, National Case Management Week will be celebrated October 5-11, but beginning in 2004 and thereafter, the week will be celebrated nationally during the second full week of October.

This landmark collaborative effort between organizations brings unity to the official date of the celebration week, which was previously scheduled at different times by different organizations.

The following organizations have elected to join ACMA and CMSA in supporting National Case Management Week:

     American Association of Disability Evaluating Physicians
     American Association of Managed Care Nurses
     American Association of Health Plans
     American Association of Occupational Health Nurses
     Disease Management Association of America
     Academy of Certified Case Managers
     American Nurses Association
     American Nurses Credentialing Center
     American Physical Therapy Association
     Association of Rehabilitation Nurses
     The Center for Case Management
     Certification of Disability Management Specialists Commission
     Commission for Case Manager Certification
     Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification
     Health Insurance Association of America
     International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals
     National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers
     National Association of Social Workers
     National Institute for Case Management
     Utilization Review and Accreditation Commission

Establishing a nationally recognized Case Management Week is vitally important as the field becomes increasingly recognized as a strategy of
great significance across the continuum of care. Not only does case management support patients and their families in navigating the healthcare
system, it decreases the fragmentation of services, encourages health team communication, and contributes significantly to patient safety, quality of life, and cost-efficient management of limited resources. It should therefore be recognized and celebrated by the healthcare industry as a crucial element of care giving.

Founded in 1990, the Case Management Society of America is the only international non-profit 501(c)(6), multi-disciplinary, professional
organization dedicated to the support and advancement of the case management profession. Since its inception, CMSA has been at the forefront of setting professional standards for the industry, which allows for the highest level of efficiency and integrity, as well as developing national and local leaders who are recognized for their practice and professional
excellence.

Established in 1999, the American Case Management Association, Inc. (ACMA)is the only non-profit multidisciplinary membership organization that
represents Hospital/Health System Case Management professionals. ACMA has pioneered recognition strategies for Hospital/Health System Case Management Services, Leaders and Staff and established the first randomized and
statistically valid National Research on Hospital/Health System Case Management. ACMA is committed to providing solutions for the evolving
collaborative practice of Hospital/Health System Case Management.

For additional information about ACMA or CMSA, please feel free to contact L. Greg Cunningham, MHA, CEO, ACMA or Jeanne Boling, MSN, CRRN, CDMS, CCM, CMSA Executive Director. For more information about National Case Management
Week or to learn more about the products, ideas, and opportunities available for its celebration, please visit www.cmsa.org or contact Tena Bolin at
tbolin@acminet.com or at 501-225-2229 ext. 43 or visit www.acmaweb.org or contact Becky Nations at theacma@earthlink.net or at 501-907-2262.