This Mathematica research brief examines several interventions utilizing self-regulation for workforce assistance. Traditional workforce programs focus on helping low-income individuals build skills, reduce employment barriers, and develop work experience. Recently, a new approach centers around building participants’ self-regulation. Self-regulation helps individuals to better manage their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions both in and outside of work. Implemented strategies include providing behavioral therapy, mindfulness techniques, and motivational interviewing. Poverty forces people to juggle multiple demanding factors and stressors on a limited budget, while often adhering to assistance program requirements. Self-regulation techniques aim to strengthen an individual’s emotional well-being, motivation, and self-confidence to increase resiliency.

This web article from Psychology Today looks at how we are falling short in treating trauma victims and what we can do to fix it. The article addresses how coping mechanisms for post-trauma are poorly understood even by those in the best situation to provide assistance, and that it is important to understand that victims of trauma might not always react or behave as one might expect. It further suggests that many factors including public education, early identification, and effective trauma treatment are necessary to break the cycle of violence, and that we need to intensify and expand the availability of trauma-informed care. Various examples of trauma are illustrated, along with how victims react differently and often unexpectedly to trauma, and that just because someone might not show a lack of emotion, it does not mean they have not been abused. Without shattering the myths that limit the understanding of trauma victims, providers will not be able to deliver assistance effectively.

Many TANF program recipients have been exposed to trauma in the form of violence and adversity in the family and community setting. TANF participants often have work-limiting health issues linked to expose to trauma, and those issues can provide physical barriers to employment by limiting work prospects and income. This research brief by Drexel University’s Center for Hunger-Free Communities outlines the Building Wealth and Health Network program that combines financial empowerment, trauma-informed peer support, and matched financial savings to support TANF participants and their families. The program recommends that public assistance programs incorporate trauma-informed approaches to public assistance and on-the-job training; investment in programs that support the caregivers’ physical, mental, and economic health to promote well-being of both the child and caregiver; and finally, focus on behavioral health services to support families, career readiness, and self-sufficiency before WorkFirst participation.

On August 17, 2017, the Office of Family Assistance (OFA) sponsored a technical assistance site exchange for Ramsey County (Minnesota) Workforce Solutions to meet with staff from the Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation’s (DLLR) Division of Workforce Development and Adult Learning, and Maryland Department of Human Services’ Office of Workforce Development to discuss service delivery methods. During the site exchange, Ramsey County shared materials that reflect their approach to adopting and implementing a comprehensive, strengths-based, service delivery model, including how they built staff capacity through training on coaching, motivational interviewing, and executive functioning skills. (When using these materials, Mathematica, Goodwill Easter Seals of Minnesota, and Ramsey County Workforce Solutions should be credited.)

In this three-part video podcast series, Paul Rada from the Truman Medical Center Behavioral Health unit in Kansas City, Missouri presents information and strategies for TANF programs to better serve participants experiencing toxic stress. This resource is intended to aid TANF program administrators and staff in: 

• Understanding the concepts of toxic stress and trauma‐informed care (TIC)
• Distinguishing between toxic stress, trauma, PTSD, and specific related interventions
• Explaining and applying toxic stress and TIC principles within TANF serving systems—specifically as they relate to improving employment outcomes and achieving program goals
• Identifying administrative areas within TANF programs that can be assessed for TIC integration, as well as opportunities for cultural/organizational change which integrates TIC principles
• Understanding methods for TANF participants to assess levels of toxic stress and apply appropriate coping strategies.

This toolkit from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families provides resources on trauma-informed care that are tailored to the needs of AI/AN communities. The resources are divided into sections based on the different stages of the process of implementing trauma-informed human services. For example, an agency in the beginning phases could use the resources in the “What do we mean by trauma-informed services and why is such an approach important?” section. An agency that has already started implementing trauma-informed services could find resources in the “We’ve begun working on theses, issues, but are trying to decide what to tackle next. How can I figure out next steps?” section. The toolkit also includes examples of treatments for trauma that have been adapted specifically for AI/AN communities.

Utah Department of Workforce Services commissioned the Public Consulting Group to develop two videos about executive functioning to be used in employment counselor trainings. The short videos can be used with employment counselors or case workers in any human services program that want to develop their capacity to recognize and respond to executive functioning challenges among their customers.

The first video, An Overview of Executive Functioning (10 minutes), provides a short primer on the brain science of executive functioning and explains how the concept pertains to the lives of adults in poverty. The video seeks to normalize executive functioning challenges, helping viewers recognize their own weaknesses and strengths, and encourages employment counselors to think about how they can help customers navigate rough situations.

The second video, How to Build Executive Functioning Skills (13 minutes), provides employment counselors with ideas about how to help customers. It explains how to build executive functioning through strategies that many employment counselors are already using, (e.g., coaching, Motivational Interviewing, and trauma-informed care). It offers advice on how to talk to customers about executive functioning challenges and motivate them to improve, and then natural exercises to build skills. It concludes with examples from human services agencies across the country that are implementing executive function-informed models.

Self-regulation skills, which research suggests are important for goal setting, help individuals achieve employment goals. In this report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, the self-regulation skills that have an impact on employment are discussed, as well as the ways in which environmental factors like poverty can hurt development of these skills. The report also includes advice for practitioners on how to build the self-regulation skills of program participants and highlights employment programs that have integrated skill development opportunities into their programming.

Self-regulation, which is “the act of managing thoughts and feelings to enable goal-directed actions,” is important for all individuals but may be especially critical for adolescents and young adults. This practice brief from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation discusses research on self-regulation and how caregivers can help support development of adolescent self-regulation, especially for youth who have been exposed to adversity. The brief also gives guidance to programs on how they can integrate supports for adolescents to assist with developing self-regulation abilities.