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Case management specialist vs child life specialist

The differences between case management specialists and child life specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a case management specialist and a child life specialist. Additionally, a child life specialist has an average salary of $55,201, which is higher than the $41,553 average annual salary of a case management specialist.

The top three skills for a case management specialist include patients, social work and mental health. The most important skills for a child life specialist are patients, child development, and patient care.

Case management specialist vs child life specialist overview

Case Management SpecialistChild Life Specialist
Yearly salary$41,553$55,201
Hourly rate$19.98$26.54
Growth rate12%12%
Number of jobs153,98590,517
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age4343
Years of experience1212

What does a case management specialist do?

In healthcare facilities, a case management specialist is in charge of ensuring that patients get quality service. Their responsibilities often include handling admission and discharge procedures, preparing and processing documents, gathering and organizing patient information, and developing strategies to optimize case management operations. There are also instances where they must address patient concerns and issues, resolving them promptly and efficiently. Furthermore, as a case management specialist, it is essential to function while adhering to the facility's policies and regulations.

What does a child life specialist do?

The job of a child life specialist is to help children and their families navigate the process of injury, illness, trauma, hospitalization, and disability. These health care professionals perform varied duties that include helping children and their families better understand the procedure and process of their medical experience. They also work on developing strategies to lessen the trauma and improve their understanding of a diagnosis by providing support, guidance, and information to family members. They are also expected to work closely with other members of the health care team in coordinating and managing care.

Case management specialist vs child life specialist salary

Case management specialists and child life specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Case Management SpecialistChild Life Specialist
Average salary$41,553$55,201
Salary rangeBetween $27,000 And $62,000Between $31,000 And $96,000
Highest paying CitySan Mateo, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateHawaiiCalifornia
Best paying companyMcKinsey & Company IncL.E.K. Consulting
Best paying industryTechnology-

Differences between case management specialist and child life specialist education

There are a few differences between a case management specialist and a child life specialist in terms of educational background:

Case Management SpecialistChild Life Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 56%Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common majorNursingPsychology
Most common collegeSUNY at BinghamtonNorthwestern University

Case management specialist vs child life specialist demographics

Here are the differences between case management specialists' and child life specialists' demographics:

Case Management SpecialistChild Life Specialist
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 19.6% Female, 80.4%Male, 24.9% Female, 75.1%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.7% Asian, 6.9% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 7.0% White, 60.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.8%
LGBT Percentage11%11%

Differences between case management specialist and child life specialist duties and responsibilities

Case management specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage caseload by providing care coordination to individuals with a primary intellectual/developmental disability diagnosis all of whom receive community-base waiver services.
  • Provide case management to give emergency financial assistance to veterans and their families during a financial crisis.
  • Complete admission, stay and discharge reviews utilizing Interqual criteria to evaluate medical necessity as indicated by corporate standards.
  • Fax documents to skil nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.
  • Perform psycho-social management, intervention, advocacy, and referral services for patients and significant others.
  • Supervise in educating patients and direct care staff about self-management of chronic illness tailoring instructions to patient's individual circumstances.
  • Show more

Child life specialist example responsibilities.

  • Observe activities and respond accordingly including emergency situations such as evacuation, CPR, or first aid.
  • Experience working with kids diagnose with bipolar, schizophrenia, autism, ADHD, depression among other disorders.
  • Provide valuable technical assistance to early childhood educators seeking resources on developing quality childcare environment.
  • Detail knowledge of Medicare and Medicaid programs.
  • Compile monthly statistical data on ADL caseload progress.
  • Exhibit patience, care, and compassion towards others.
  • Show more

Case management specialist vs child life specialist skills

Common case management specialist skills
  • Patients, 19%
  • Social Work, 15%
  • Mental Health, 8%
  • Community Resources, 4%
  • Patient Care, 4%
  • Crisis Intervention, 4%
Common child life specialist skills
  • Patients, 25%
  • Child Development, 9%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Child Life Services, 5%
  • Social Work, 5%
  • CCLS, 4%

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