The AIDS Foundation of Chicago oversees the case management system for the Chicago Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA), which includes Chicago, Suburban Cook County and Lake, McHenry, Kane, DuPage, Will, Grundy, Dekalb and Kendall Counties. In this section, you will find information on case management- what it is, how to find a case manager, how different types of case management can benefit individuals living with HIV, and how the Chicago case management system differs from systems in other EMAs.

History and Philosophy of Case Management:
The AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) was established in 1985 to coordinate the local response to the AIDS epidemic in the Chicago area. In 1989, AFC was awarded a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) demonstration grant to establish a coordinated system of case management services for people living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA), which became known as the Northeastern Illinois HIV/AIDS Case Management Cooperative. With full participation of case management agencies in establishing common expectations and policies and procedures for case management services, the Northeastern Illinois HIV/AIDS Case Management Cooperative now consists of nearly 160 case managers at 55 agencies, and is funded primarily through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act (Ryan White) Parts A and B and through the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS).

The philosophy of the Cooperative is to provide comprehensive case management services to empower people living with HIV/AIDS to live healthy and independent lives.

Case Management:

• assists clients in applying for benefits
• facilitates access to emergency funds
• identifies medical and social service needs
• facilitates appropriate referrals to meet service needs
• acts as a broker between clients and services

Currently, AFC has the only coordinated case management system in the United States. This means that each client has only one case manager and that their case manager assists the client in accessing resources to meet their needs. Through a coordinated system, AFC ensures:

• Seamless and continuous care throughout a client’s periods of health and illness
• Non-duplication of services
• Standardized policies and procedures across all sites
  Consistent quality throughout all regions of the EMA through standardized training and technical assistance
• Direct data entry of client-level reporting, allowing for consistent and timely data collection
• Maximized resources available to support case management

If you are a person who is HIV+ or affected by HIV and wish to know more about available case management services, click here for more information about how to find a case manager.

If you are a client, current case manager or service provider, click here to find more information on service provision, including eligibility for funded programs and requirements for service providers.

If you would like to review the new agenda for Case Manager Competencies Development/Training please click HERE.   For additional information please contact Iliana Gilliland at 312-922-2322 ext 513.