Jeffrey Longhofer - On Being and Having a Case Manager

In memory of John Michel

We have many people to thank. This study involved case managers and consumers who were more than willing to let us into their daily lives over many months. They welcomed us. They were eager to tell their stories. And it is through our working with and listening to managers and consumers that this book developed. Many of the ideas developed here come directly from our work with them. Many, many thanks for your patience and guidance. It has been a great pleasure to have you as our teachers. At Columbia University Press, we owe the late John Michel special gratitude. He invited and encouraged this project and offered advice along the way, and it is to his memory that the book is dedicated. Thanks, too, to the Ohio Department of Mental Health, specifically Dr. Michael Hogan (now head of the New York State Department of Mental Health) and Dr. Dee Roth for supporting the work with a generous grant. We owe a special thanks to Lisa Oswald. Lisa, a graduate student at the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at the time the research was conducted, collected data and produced volumes of detailed and thoughtful and feelingful notes that led to these rich narratives. It is to Dr. Anna Janicki that we owe our understanding of shame and its dynamics in the delivery of mental health services. She helped us know what shame feels like and how it differs from other human emotions. And it may well be the one emotion that makes the difference. Finally, wed like to thank Dr. Richard Edwards, dean of the Rutgers University School of Social Work, for offering a new opportunity.