Compassion can be defined as “feeling for” others who are in pain with warmth, empathetic concern, and the capacity to understand their perspective and intentions. Compassion is necessary for staff in human service settings to effectively engage clients, understand the context surrounding their journey and personal goals, and accurately identify a path forward and appropriate support services. But if we consider compassion as a finite resource, what happens if it runs out?

This brief, which was prepared in conjunction with PeerTA Podcast Episode 2: Combatting Compassion Fatigue, focuses on emerging issues related to compassion fatigue within the context of managing teams. The brief addresses the following questions: What is compassion fatigue and how may it affect the teams I manage? What are the factors that lead to compassion fatigue? How might I recognize compassion fatigue within my teams? As a manager, what steps can I take to help mitigate the effects of compassion fatigue? What can I learn from other TANF programs that implemented strategies to address issues associated with compassion fatigue?

<p>Research suggests that evidence capacity shows up in five key areas: leadership, organizational culture, organizational infrastructure, staff capabilities, and organizational engagement and communication. This set of five guides is designed to help practitioners of TANF and related human services programs work through a process for strengthening their organization’s capacity to use and build evidence in one or more of these areas. Each guide outlines a four-step process for reflecting on and assessing the evidence capacity domain, narrowing a focus for potential change, defining the desired change, and checking success. The guides are designed to be used by organizations themselves or in collaboration with a research and evaluation technical assistance provider.</p>

This brief describes how Iowa’s Family Development and Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS) program used a data-driven reflection process to understand how well virtual coaching is meeting the needs of families. The brief also examines whether families may want a mix of remote and in-person coaching options in the future. It describes lessons learned through this process and aims to help TANF and other human services agencies generate ideas on how to use data-driven reflection to make decisions in their own organizations.

Compassion can be defined as “feeling for” others who are in pain with warmth, empathetic concern, and the capacity to understand their perspective and intentions. Compassion is necessary for staff in human service settings to effectively engage clients, understand the context surrounding their journey and personal goals, and accurately identify a path forward and appropriate support services. But if we consider compassion as a finite resource, what happens if it runs out?

This podcast explored a condition called compassion fatigue. Panelists included: Anna Tekippe, a clinician at the Center for Work Education and Employment in Denver; Santa Molina-Marshall, a holistic psychotherapist located in Washington, DC with expertise in compassion fatigue; and Gerrie Cotter, a project manager for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. The panelists shared their experiences and knowledge about compassion fatigue, as well as effective strategies for combatting compassion fatigue within TANF programs and in other human services settings.

Compassion can be defined as “feeling for” others who are in pain with warmth, empathetic concern, and the capacity to understand their perspective and intentions. Compassion is necessary for staff in human service settings to effectively engage clients, understand the context surrounding their journey and personal goals, and accurately identify a path forward and appropriate support services. But if we consider compassion as a finite resource, what happens if it runs out?

This brief, which was prepared in conjunction with PeerTA Podcast Episode 2: Combatting Compassion Fatigue, focuses on emerging issues from the perspective of a program staff member. The brief examines the following questions: What is compassion fatigue and why should I care about it? What are the factors that may lead to compassion fatigue and how might I recognize it? What steps can I take to help combat compassion fatigue and alleviate its effects? What can I learn from colleagues at other TANF programs about compassion fatigue?

Drawing on the partnership experience between Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, MOED’s Workforce Reception Center, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and Mathematica, this brief describes lessons learned and potential strategies that technical assistance providers can use to encourage successful public-private partnerships, as well as highlights considerations for funders of similar initiatives. This 5-page brief is for foundations or other private organizations that provide technical assistance to programs as they make changes to their program. Mathematica and MOED developed this brief with support from the Administration for Children and Families and the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

This brief captures staff experiences, successes, lessons learned, and recommendations from designing and implementing a transitional jobs program called Baltimore Health Corps (BHC). Designed by the Mayor’s Office for Employment Development (MOED), Baltimore City Health Department, and other community partners, BHC is a transitional jobs program for unemployed and underemployed city residents in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. This 5-page brief is for leaders and frontline staff who are thinking about or implementing a program change and want to draw inspiration and lessons from the successes and challenges of other programs. Mathematica and MOED developed this brief under Project IMPROVE through the Office of Family Assistance, and with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.

Women experiencing poverty are more likely to face intimate partner violence (IPV), poor health, and stigma, and IPV survivors are overrepresented among those participating in TANF. This research article explores the impact of TANF on women’s wellbeing through in-depth, semi-structured interviews during the COVID-19 pandemic with 13 women who had TANF experience in three U.S. states. The article concludes with findings to demonstrate how increasing TANF cash benefits and other cash transfers for those experiencing poverty, adopting solely state funded TANF programs, increasing funding for TANF administration, addressing TANF stigma and racialized narratives, and allowing optional child support participation or a larger “pass-through” of child support are important steps toward making TANF more protective against IPV.

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.

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.