TANF Case Management and Coaching
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www.clasp.org TANF Case Management and Coaching Working Poor Families Project June 20, 2013 Elizabeth Lower- Basch Senior Policy Analyst
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Elizabeth Lower-Basch Senior Policy Analyst. TANF Case Management and Coaching. Working Poor Families Project. June 20, 2013. TANF is a Flexible Funding Source. Can support wide range of case management and coaching services aimed at work, marriage, and self-sufficiency. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of TANF Case Management and Coaching
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TANF Case Management and CoachingWorking Poor Families ProjectJune 20, 2013
Elizabeth Lower-BaschSenior Policy Analyst
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TANF is a Flexible Funding Source
• Can support wide range of case management and coaching services aimed at work, marriage, and self-sufficiency.
• Not limited to families receiving cash assistance.• Can be in house or contracted out to other
entities
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What Do TANF Case Managers Do?
• Initial and ongoing assessment• Employment and service planning• Linking clients to in-house and community
services• Motivating, encouraging, and supporting
engagement• Individualized soft-skills training/coaching• Monitoring and verifying program participation • Reengaging nonparticipants/initiating sanctions
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M. Derr, Integrating Comprehensive Case Management Strategies into TANF Programs, May 2013
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Challenges of TANF Case Management
• High caseloads/workloads • e.g. Oregon
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Challenges of TANF Case Mangement
• High caseloads/workloads • Accessing activities and supports in an era of
limited resources • Strong focus on monitoring work participation
Time consuming Different skill set than “social work” Threat of sanction may lead to hostile relationships
between participants and staff• High turnover of caseloads
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Mobility Mentors
• A different approach….
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Promising Practices
• Technology• Specialized staff• Focus on particular populations or
programs• Broader redesign
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Use of Technology
• Automated systems to reduce time spent in documenting and verifying participation
• Computerized assessment and case management systems (OWRA)
• Data sharing across programs – do the same clients show up in homelessness, child welfare, mental health, job training program?
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Online Work Readiness Assessment
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Specialized Staff
• Need to match role expectations and caseworker skills Can’t afford and don’t want to ask social workers to
monitor work participation. But not reasonable to ask low-paid caseworkers with
little skills, experience to take on social work
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“Basic skills sets required of a FEP include….”
• Verbal and written communication;• Active listening;• Conflict resolution;• Ability to be non-judgmental;• Time management;• Adaptability;• Sensitivity;• Problem solving;• Crises response;• Interviewing skills;• Discussion facilitation;• Customer service;• Job matching;• Safe confrontation;• Assertive communication;
• Networking;• Problem identification;• Solution recognition;• Service coordination;• Appropriate feedback;• Coaching and mentoring;• Budget preparation;• Cultural competency;• Interpreting formal assessment results;• Ability to put into place needed
modifications and accommodations;• Goal setting;• Career development; and• Job retention strategies.
Source: W-2 Manual
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Examples of Specialized Staff
• Utah – MSW’s available as resources Conduct clinical and functional ability assessments; Offer crisis intervention and clinical case
management; and Make referrals to mental health treatment providers.
• Kentucky Targeted Assessment Program Serves TANF and child welfare referrals Provides assessment, referral, pre-treatment, service
coordination and follow-up services Uses Motivational Interviewing and Strengths-Based
Case Management 12
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Focus on Particular Populations
• Montgomery County, MD, triage workers Identify high needs clients at initial intake
• Minnesota Integrated Service Projects Served primarily long-term, multiple barrier clients Mixture of team staffing and individual case
management with small caseloads Mostly focused on brokering services
• SSI advocacy Provides functional assessments, help with SSI
application and appeals
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Focus on Particular Programs
• Short-term intensive coaching built into job readiness/job search programs
• Kentucky Ready to Work Coordinators Located on campus Dual role of documenting work participation and providing
case management
• Minnesota Navigators under Career Pathways Based in community organizations or one-stop centers Focused on recruiting and assisting TANF recipients and
working with basic skills and college instructors
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Case Management as Part of Broader Redesign
• Meaningless to do enhanced assessment, or have clients pick own goals if everyone is assigned to same activity
• Allow flexibility in activities Tiered service approaches being developed in DC,
Washington state• Document gaps in service capacity to advocate
for expansions
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DC Tiered Service Delivery
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Thank YouFor more information:
Elizabeth [email protected] 906-8013
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www.clasp.org1200 18th St, NWSuite 200Washington, DC 20036
