Maternal and Neonatal Case Management

This recorded asynchronous distance course provides an overview of maternal and neonatal care coordination within hospital settings. Participants will explore the role of the clinical social worker or case manager in supporting mothers, infants, and families across the perinatal continuum. Topics include maternal substance use, perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, adoption, surrogacy, Safe Haven laws, high-risk pregnancies, domestic violence, mandated reporting, social determinants of health, NICU assessment and discharge planning, end-of-life care, and human trafficking. Emphasis is placed on interdisciplinary collaboration, adherence to hospital policies and state statutes, and supporting safe and appropriate care planning. Participants will gain practical knowledge to support assessment, care coordination, and discharge planning, while strengthening their ability to navigate complex clinical, legal, and psychosocial situations in perinatal and neonatal care. Emphasis is placed on regulatory compliance, interdisciplinary communication, and applying utilization review principles in real-time clinical practice. Upon completion of this course, learners will be able to apply utilization review principles to real-world clinical scenarios, accurately assess medical necessity and level of care, and navigate regulatory and documentation requirements with confidence. Learners will strengthen interdisciplinary communication skills, collaborate effectively with providers and case management teams, and support compliant, patient-centered care decisions across acute care settings.

1. Identify the purpose and core functions of utilization review within hospital and emergency department settings. 2. Apply medical necessity criteria and level-of-care guidelines to utilization review decision-making. 3. Differentiate observation, inpatient, and outpatient-in-a-bed statuses and their impact on care delivery and reimbursement. 4. Recognize regulatory, compliance, and documentation requirements, including CMS Conditions of Participation. 5. Explain how payer type and reimbursement models influence utilization review workflows and decision-making. 6. Apply payer-focused thinking to support effective communication, documentation, and continued stay review processes.

This self-paced course includes focused instruction through short video lectures, downloadable handouts, and clinical practice tools. Each module includes interactive knowledge checks and real-life case applications. Module 1: Role of Perinatal Social Work Module 2: Maternal Substance Use Module 3: Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Module 4: Adoption in the Hospital Module 5: Surrogacy and Gestational Carriers Module 6: Safe Haven and Teen Pregnancy Module 7: High-Risk OB and Antepartum Admissions Module 8: Domestic Violence and Safety Module 9: Mandated Reporting in OB Module 10: Social Determinants of Health Module 11: NICU Assessment and Family Support Module 12: NICU Discharge Planning Module 13: Neonatal End-of-Life and Loss Module 14: Human Trafficking