Social Justice Statement
In harmony with likeminded organizations that educate and set standards for professional conduct, the Commission for Case Manager Certification expresses not only our support for, but also active commitment to fairness, equity, equality, and social justice.
Our profession is rooted in the ideal that we serve and advocate for our clients regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, or disability. As an organization, we strive to strengthen and empower board-certified case managers and board-certified disability management specialists to exhibit these ideals in their professional lives. Social justice is woven into key elements of the Code of Professional Conduct for Case Managers and the CDMS Code of Professional Conduct, specifically the emphasis on the dignity and worth of each individual and consistently high standards for integrity, fidelity, and objectivity.
The events of recent months compel us to champion these ideals in both word and deed. In this context, we bring renewed focus to the first four principles of these professional codes of conduct as they are particularly salient in today’s social, economic, and political circumstances. We expressly recommit to our responsibility to:
- Place the public interest above our own at all times;
- Respect the rights and inherent dignity of others;
- Always maintain objectivity in our relationships with clients; and
- Act with integrity, dignity, and fidelity with clients and others.
These principles are not simply aspirational. Knowing that our actions or inactions can aid or stand in the way of our clients’ ability to achieve their objectives, board-certified case managers and certified disability management specialists proactively accept responsibility for their behavior and embrace these principles in practice. Further, we commit to:
- Condemn conduct involving discrimination because of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, marital status, or disability;
- Celebrate the unique attributes of all case managers and disability management specialists;
- Value and seek diversity and inclusion within the case management and disability management professions;
- Promote an inclusive environment that encourages involvement, innovation, and expanded access to leadership opportunities that maximize engagement across all groups within the framework of the certification criteria;
- Leverage the unique characteristics, perspectives and contributions of a diverse case management and disability management population, including, but not limited to, age, appearance, disability, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, nationality, professional level or practice setting, race, religion, and sexual orientation;
- Highlight diversity to collectively and effectively provide for opportunities to improve the health and welfare for clients who receive case management and disability management interventions; and
- Advocate for efforts to end systemic racism and affirm the inherent dignity and value of every individual.
As the Commission, we believe this statement supporting social justice aligns with our mission and core values to promote, advance, and advocate for consumer protection, quality case management, and disability management practices, ethical standards and behavior, and scientific knowledge development and dissemination.
The Commission for Case Manager Certification® (CCMC®) administers and governs the Certification of Disability Management Specialists Credential® (CDMS®) as its own exam and credential. CCMC is the first and largest nationally accredited organization that certifies professional case managers and disability management specialists.