This blogpost defines the concepts of caregiver burnout versus compassion fatigue. It also presents how to recognize compassion fatigue by identifying warning signs in family caregivers, and how to use self-care to prevent compassion fatigue.

The National Association of Case Management held a webinar on May 13, 2020, during which participants learned about the symptoms of Caregiver Fatigue, how to recognize Caregiver Fatigue prior to the symptoms becoming problematic, and ways to identify techniques to reduce symptoms of Caregiver Fatigue. The webinar was led by Bridget Thompson, a Certified Health Coach and a Housing Coordinator at Region V Systems, where she manages programs specializing in housing individuals experiencing chronic homelessness, and mental health and substance abuse issues. A webinar recording is available for download.

This toolkit responds to a technical assistance request by the Vermont Department for Children and Families Reach Up program to support ongoing efforts seeking to better serve families through a trauma-informed lens. The toolkit reflects information gathered through a series of ongoing discussions and two site visits with leadership and staff from the Vermont Department for Children and Families that occurred between March and October 2019. It uses the Vermont Reach Up program as a model to illustrate how other TANF programs can apply and adapt information and tools to inform their efforts to build more trauma-informed policies, practices, and offices.

This toolkit provides leaders overseeing frontline staff, managers, or other unit-based roles with guidance on assessing their staff’s potential risk of compassion fatigue. The toolkit identifies a five-step process for administering a compassion fatigue assessment, and includes a compassion fatigue discussion guide and a compassion fatigue literature guide.

This blogpost addresses several topics related to compassion fatigue. It defines and identifies symptoms of compassion fatigue compared to burnout and primary traumatic stress. The blogpost also graphically illustrates the compassion fatigue process, offers tips for managing compassion fatigue, and presents the ABC’s of Prevention — Awareness, Balance, and Connections.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and other human services programs faced unprecedented challenges managing the COVID-19 global pandemic. They were tasked with serving America’s most vulnerable families as they navigated difficult economic circumstances and public health risks. TANF program staff reported that they and the families they serve were showing signs of stress, including lack of focus, fatigue, agitation, and a sense of hopelessness. In response to these crises, TANF leaders adapted in new and innovative ways to support staff and families. This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation brief captures how TANF programs adapted to promote staff and participant wellness and the innovative adaptations that leaders might consider adopting or sustaining moving forward.

This program snapshot examines how KEEP Fathers Engaged, a South Carolina fatherhood program, adapted to better engage fathers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The snapshot also highlights strategies this program and others used during the pandemic that may help strengthen service delivery going forward. These strategies include emphasizing retention of fathers in programming over recruiting new participants, adjusting program services to meet new needs that arose during the pandemic, and expanding the program’s reach by leveraging opportunities created by virtual service delivery.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation report summarizes the design and implementation of LIFT, a coaching intervention in four cities that aims to help participants identify and attain goals related to self-sufficiency. It describes LIFT’s goals, the target population and program participants, the implementation of coaching, and other services available to program participants. The report's findings are of interest to practitioners and policymakers considering implementing or supporting coaching interventions and offers important context for understanding and interpreting the findings from the impact study.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation brief discusses the use of video recordings of interactions between program staff and participants as a data source for an implementation study of four employment coaching interventions for people with low incomes. The brief describes the process for video recording coaching sessions and analyzing the videos, provides examples of what was learned from the data, and offers lessons for researchers considering using video recordings as a data source in future studies.

This Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation brief describes the experiences of three organizations that adapted existing interventions to provide remote work readiness activities or education and training services during the COVID-19 pandemic. It summarizes common challenges that made it difficult for participants to engage in remote services, adaptations made by the organizations, and considerations for remote service delivery after the pandemic. The brief draws upon information gathered from an Integrated Basic Education and Skills Training (I-BEST) site in Des Moines, Washington, Project Quality Employment Through Skills Training (QUEST) in San Antonio, Texas, and a Wisconsin Regional Training Partnerships (WRTP) site in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.