What is the scope of member of Congress casework?
Members of Congress determine the scope of their constituent service activities. Casework is conducted for various reasons, including a broadly held understanding among Members and staff that casework is integral to the representational duties of a Member of Congress.
What is casework and why is it conducted?
Casework is conducted for various reasons, including a broadly held understanding among Members and staff that casework is integral to the representational duties of a Member of Congress. Casework activities may also be viewed as part of an outreach strategy to build political support, or as an evaluative stage of the legislative process.
Do all congressional offices carry out casework?
All congressional offices carry out some type of casework. As part of the process of determining how to carry out their congressional duties, Members of Congress determine the scope of their constituent service activities. 4 As a consequence, the level and intensity of congressional casework may vary among Member offices.
What are the challenges to Congress’s casework?
One challenge to congressional casework is the widely held public perception that Members of Congress can initiate a broad array of actions resulting in a speedy, favorable outcome.
What is casework in a house?
The term casework has a specific meaning in the woodworking industry: it refers to wood cases, or boxes. Therefore, casework literally means 'box making. ' The types of casework 'boxes' include built-in cabinets, bookcases, kitchen island drawers, cupboards, and many other forms of storage cabinetry.
What is a caseworker in government?
In social work, a caseworker is not a social worker but is employed by a government agency, nonprofit organization, or another group to take on the cases of individuals and provide them with advocacy, information and solutions.
What are examples of casework?
Examples of these types are listed below:Legal Issues.Criminal Cases.Civil Cases.Child Custody Issues.Divorce Cases.Child Support Services.Credit Card Problems.Bank Problems.More items...
Who handles casework in Congress?
6. Who handles casework in a congressional office? Many state or district offices have enough constituent requests to assign at least one staff member to work specifically on casework. Congressional staff serving as caseworkers typically act as liaisons between constituents and federal agencies.
What does casework mean in Congress?
Summary. In a congressional office, the term casework refers to the response or services that Members of Congress provide to constituents who request assistance. Each year, thousands of constituents turn to Members of Congress with a wide range of requests, from the simple to the complex.
What is the importance of casework?
Case Work helps better adjustment in social relationship of the individual, and the development of individual personality. Case Work helps the client to achieve his previous level of functioning. Case Work helps to solve the problem of the people who have difficulty in coping with problems of daily living.
What is an example of casework by a member of Congress?
Common congressional casework requests include • tracking a misdirected benefits payment; • helping to fill out a government form; • applying for Social Security, veterans', education, and other federal benefits; • explaining government activities or decisions; • applying to a military service academy;4 • seeking ...
What is Congressional casework quizlet?
Casework: Activities of members of congress that help constituents as individuals; cutting through bureaucratic red tape to get people what they think they have a right to get.
What is casework process?
The phases of the casework process, the study, assessment, intervention, termination and evaluation are considered as the threads interwoven throughout the process. In the study phase the worker makes the initial contact constructively and fruitfully.
In what way does casework serve as a potential check on the executive branch?
Some observers suggest that casework inquiries can provide Members of Congress with a micro-level view of executive agency activities, affording Members the opportunity to evaluate whether a program is functioning as Congress intended.
What are three major responsibilities of members of Congress?
Make laws. Declare war. Raise and provide public money and oversee its proper expenditure.
What are the two most important roles of members of Congress?
Members of Congress represent the people of their district in the United States Congress by holding hearings, as well as developing and voting on legislation. All bills must pass Congress before they can go to the President to be signed into law.
What is meant by caseworker?
noun. a person who does casework. an investigator, especially of a social agency, who aids disadvantaged individuals or families chiefly by analysis of their problems and through personal counseling.
What does a legal caseworker do?
What is a Caseworker? A caseworker is an individual who is hired by some company for the purpose of taking on cases of special individuals. They do so with the aim to help them legally by giving them legal advice, solutions, and assistance.
What's the difference between a social worker and a caseworker?
Essentially, while a social worker provides care to a client and offers them therapy, a case manager coordinates their treatment program instead of therapy. In addition, unlike social workers, case managers don't provide any type of therapy to their clients.
What is an example of casework by a member of Congress?
Common congressional casework requests include • tracking a misdirected benefits payment; • helping to fill out a government form; • applying for Social Security, veterans', education, and other federal benefits; • explaining government activities or decisions; • applying to a military service academy;4 • seeking ...
What is casework in Congress?
Casework in a congressional office refers to the response or services that Members of Congress. provide to constituents who request assistance. Casework appears to be one of the more enduring. representational activities; Members of Congress have been providing such service since the early.
Can Congress initiate a broad array of actions resulting in a speedy, favorable outcome?
Congress can initiate a broad array of actions resulting in a speedy, favorable outcome. The rules. of the House and Senate, and laws and regulations governing federal executive agency activities, however, closely limit the extent of an intervention made on behalf of a constituent.
Introduction
- Casework in a congressional office refers to the response or services that Members of Congress provide to constituents who request assistance. Casework appears to be one of the more enduring representational activities; Members of Congress have been providing such service since the early years of the American republic.1In contemporary times, thousa...
House and Senate Rules Governing Casework
- Each chamber has rules and guidelines regarding its Members' casework activities. House rules regarding casework services are discussed in the House Ethics Manual.10 Senate Rule XLIII11 and the Senate Ethics Manual12 establish parameters for casework services in that chamber. In each chamber, at the request of a constituent or petitioner13for assistance, a Member of Congr…
Caseworkers
- Decisions regarding staff employment in congressional offices rest with each Member of Congress, subject to applicable law and chamber rules.19 Some chamber administrative materials, such as the Member's Handbook (for the House)20 or the U.S. Senate Handbook (for the Senate),21 provide guidelines regarding what procedures must be followed to provide comp…
Case Management
- Matters regarding the management of casework activities are at the discretion of individual congressional offices, subject to the rules of their respective chambers, relevant law, and the priorities of that office. Two laws, the Privacy Act of 197427 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA),28affect casework. The Privacy Act affects all constitue…
Establishing Procedures: A Casework Manual
- Based on the priorities identified in individual congressional offices, many offices compile documentation to clarify policies related to casework. Such documentation could specify casework goals, management procedures, and expectations of staff. Having a manual or established protocol can help offices ensure consistency in their casework practices. This type …
Reference Materials
- For Each Caseworker
1. Office casework manual. 2. Chamber-appropriate ethics manual chapter on casework. 3. Congressional Liaison Offices, at http://www.crs.gov/resources/liaisonoffices. 4. Casework manuals and constituent services guides issued by the agencies for which the caseworker is res… - For Each Field Office Location
1. Casework intake protocols. 2. Instructions for accessing casework materials in physical or electronic files. 3. Caseworker contact information. 4. General agency contact information.
CRS Resources
- CRS In Focus IF10503, Constituent Services: Overview and Resources Congressional Liaison Offices, at http://www.crs.gov/resources/liaisonoffices CRS Video WVB00093, Introduction to Congressional Casework CRS Report RL33209, Casework in a Congressional Office: Background, Rules, Laws, and Resources CRS Report R44696, Casework in Congressional Offices: Frequently …
Sample Documents and Release Forms
- Sample Constituent Guide/Newsletter Piece/Outreach Handout36 Initial Correspondence with Constituents Opening a Case39 Simple Privacy Act Release Form Sample Privacy Act and HIPAA Release Form Case Information and Privacy Act Release Form Response Correspondence 1: Completed Response from Agency Response Correspondence 2: Partial/Interim Response from …