Elizabeth Lower-Basch
Senior Policy Analyst
TANF Case Management and
Coaching
Working Poor Families Project
June 20, 2013
www.clasp.org
• 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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• 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
M. Derr, Integrating Comprehensive Case Management Strategies into TANF Programs, May 2013
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• High caseloads/workloads
• e.g. Oregon
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• 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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• A different approach….
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• Technology
• Specialized staff
• Focus on particular populations or
programs
• Broader redesign
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• 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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• 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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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;
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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.
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Source: W-2 Manual
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• 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
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• 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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• 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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• 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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For more information:
Elizabeth Lower-Basch
elowerbasch@clasp.org
202 906-8013
www.clasp.org
1200 18th St, NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20036
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