Switchboard is pleased to announce a free online certificate course, Case Management Fundamentals, which will meet in four 75-minute sessions every Tuesday from June 30 to July 21, 2026. 

This course is Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) ACE-approved! Upon successful completion of the course requirements, you will earn 10.5 continuing education credits (CEs) that can be applied to the maintenance of your existing professional licensure. 


Course Overview 

Direct service provision with refugees is as important as ever, with ongoing as well as unprecedented challenges across the country facing newcomers and those who serve them. At the heart of working with refugees and newcomers is case management, the varied services that service providers provide to support their clients and help them thrive in their new home in the U.S. This instructor-led certificate course provides a foundational body of knowledge about case management, including practical skills to work across cultures and contexts, the basics of trauma-informed care, and essential tools to maintain work-life balance and establish healthy boundaries that protect both clients and staff.   

 

What Will I Learn? 

Upon completing this course, learners will be able to:    

  • Describe what case management means in the context of refugee service delivery 

  • Define trauma, trauma-informed care, and the building blocks of resilience   

  • Name key contextual and cultural considerations in case management with refugee clients 

  • Practice effective strategies for staff care and self-care  


Who Will Benefit? 

  • Social workers, including case workers and case managers, directly supporting refugee and newcomer clients  

  • Supervisors of direct service staff who want to better support their teams in implementing the fundamentals of case management with refugee clients 


Format

This course will include four 75-minute synchronous Zoom sessions and an aggregate of six expected hours of independent work; the total time commitment is approximately 11 hours over two weeks from July 21 to July 30, 2026.  

 

Course Schedule 

Synchronous Zoom sessions will be held once a week on Tuesdays:  

  • Tuesday, July 21, 2:00 – 3:15 PM ET  

  • Thursday, July 23, 2:00 – 3:15 PM ET  

  • Tuesday, July 28, 2:00 – 3:15 PM ET  

  • Thursday, July 30, 2:00 – 3:15 PM ET  

Optional virtual office hours will be offered to course participants. 

 

Course Completion Requirements 

  1. Attendance at all four synchronous sessions is required
  2. Active participation is expected of all accepted learners, including participation in breakout activities and discussions, as well as short written engagement with fellow learners and course instructors in the online course player 
  3. Independent activity, including pre-work, reflections, discussions, and assignments, accessible within the online course player, estimated to take 90 minutes per week. 


This is an ASWB ACE-approved course worth 10.5 continuing education (CE) units. 

This is a hybrid course with four live synchronous sessions hosted on Zoom and independent, asynchronous, video- and reading-based work to be completed outside of course sessions via Thinkific course player. Live sessions take place on Zoom and are fully interactive. Attendees may ask and answer questions throughout the presentation and participate in instructor-led discussions. Registration is free. Registration deadline is Friday, July 3, 2026. For ADA accommodations, please contact [email protected], attn: Tigest Coleman. All learners are required to have a computer system and internet connection compatible with a current version of Zoom.

    1. Welcome to the Course!

    2. How to Navigate this Course

    3. Book Office Hours with Your Course Instructor

    4. Optional: Connect with Your Course Cohort Peers

    1. Required Module 1 Pre-Work: Watch the Case Management Foundations Webinar Recording (Start at 3:15)

    2. Required Module 1 Pre-Work: Read and Respond to Case Scenario 1: Naomi

    3. Optional Module 1 Pre-Work: Read "Making the Paperwork Work for You"

    4. Optional Module 1 Pre-Work: Take the 1 CE ASWB ACE-Approved eLearning Course, "Writing Effective and Efficient Case Notes"

    5. Module 1 Synchronous Zoom Session

    6. Module 1 Slide Deck Downloadable

    7. Module 1 Knowledge Check

    8. Module 1 Objectives Check-In

    1. Required Module 2 Pre-Work: Watch the Trauma-Informed Case in Case Management Webinar Recording (Start at 4:48)

    2. Required Module 2 Pre-Work: Read and Respond to Case Scenario 2: Abdul-Kareem, Samira, and Family

    3. Optional Module 2 Pre-Work: Read "Trauma-Informed Care: A Primer for Refugee Service Providers"

    4. Optional Module 2 Pre-Work: Watch "Supporting Others, Sustaining Yourself: Trauma-Informed Care in Action​"

    5. Module 2 Synchronous Zoom Session

    6. Module 2 Slide Deck Downloadable

    7. Module 2 Knowledge Check

    8. Module 2 Objectives Check-In

    1. Required Module 3 Pre-Work: Watch the Practical Guide to Working with Refugees Webinar Recording (Start at 6:54)

    2. Required Module 3 Pre-Work: Read and Respond to Case Scenario 3: Roberto

    3. Optional Module 3 Pre-Work: Read the Tipsheet, "Connecting Refugee Clients to the Right Resources: 8 Tips for Effective Referrals"

    4. Optional Module 3 Pre-Work: Review the Customizable, "Sample Comprehensive Case Management Onboarding Guide"

    5. Optional Module 3 Pre-Work: Take the eLearning Course, "Overcoming Challenges in Intepretation"

    6. Module 3 Synchronous Zoom Session

    7. Module 3 Slide Deck Downloadable

    8. Module 3 Knowledge Check

    9. Module 3 Objectives Check-In

    1. Required Module 4 Pre-Work: Watch "Creating Balance in Case Management" Webinar (Start at 3:00)

    2. Required Module 4 Pre-Work: Read and Respond to Case Scenario 4: Maksym and Milana, and Case Scenario 5: Bushra

    3. Optional Module 4 Pre-Work: Read "A Collection of Resources for Supporting the Mental Health of Newcomers and Direct Service Providers"

    4. Optional Module 4 Pre-Work: Review "Self Care Tools: Fundamental Skills for Self Care"

    5. Module 4 Synchronous Zoom Session

    6. Module 4 Slide Deck Downloadable

    7. Module 4 Knowledge Check

    8. Module 4 Objectives Check-In

    1. Course Completion Satisfaction Survey

    2. Course Outro & Next Steps

Course Details

  • Free
  • 39 lessons
  • 4.5 hours of video content
  • Level: Introductory
  • 10.5 CEs

Course Instructor

Maya Wahrman, MSW, LSW

Maya is a Switchboard Training Officer and social worker licensed in New Jersey with a lifelong commitment to working with refugees and immigrants. She brings to Switchboard a decade of experience in resettlement and immigrant services, including direct case management, mental health counseling, school and education support, program management, and state government policy and administration. Maya previously served as the Refugee Health and Wellness Specialist in the New Jersey Office of New Americans. Maya holds a Master of Social Work from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Arts in History with certificates in Near Eastern Studies and Creative Writing from Princeton University.
Photo of course instructor: Maya Wahrman, MSW, LSW

Course Completion

ASWB CE Information

Social workers must attend the entire course and complete a course evaluation to be eligible for CE credit. There is no penalty for withdrawing from this free course, but learners who do not finish the course will not receive a certificate of completion. To withdraw, contact [email protected]. Social workers will be required to get 90% on each section of a post-test in order to receive CE credit, but they may retake the test as many times as necessary to get this score. This test will be divided into four sections for completion at the end of each module. Certificates of completion will be accessible in the course player within 10 business days of course completion.  

Case Management Fundamentals, course #6704, is approved by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program to be offered by Switchboard TA as an individual course.  

Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE course approval period: 4/21/2026 - 4/21/2028. Social workers completing this course receive 10.5 general continuing education credits. 

Grievance Policy: Switchboard TA's grievance policy ensures timely, ethical, and transparent resolution of complaints—including those related to course content, instructors, certificates, or other concerns—with oversight by the designated social work consultant and CE director to safeguard fairness and objectivity. Participants may request a copy of the full grievance policy or submit a grievance at any time using the contact information provided.