Burnout is a problem for caseworkers serving unhoused people

When someone seeking housing assistance in central Connecticut calls the state’s 211 helpline, they’re often directed to Nicole Barracliff.

She sits in her office, cradling a pink mug of coffee with an image of a Care Bear on the front, talking on the phone with a man facing homelessness.

“They’ll provide you anything they have to keep you as safe and comfortable as possible, but they wouldn’t be able to offer you, like, an immediate shelter bed anywhere, unfortunately,” Barracliff told him.

She’s talking about the nonprofit Community Housing Advocates, where she’s been connecting people with services for the past three years. Most are unhoused or facing eviction. For the last three years Barracliff has been helping them find a temporary or permanent place to stay.

Last year, there were more than 20,000 calls for aid across Connecticut, according to Community Housing Advocates. The calls are from people looking for everything from shelter beds to help finding an apartment.

Barracliff has felt overwhelmed since late 2023. With the loss of state and federal COVID-19 benefits came an increase in demand for housing.

Baracliff often finds herself having to tell clients there’s no immediate housing option.

“Small success stories, they do help, and they mean a lot,” Barracliff said. “They make your heart happy, but there’s just so many like, day to day. I feel like, you just feel like you’re never doing enough.”

The homelessness crisis deepens

Nationwide, homelessness increased 18% last year.

Inflation, rising housing costs,and the expiration of benefits are among the reasons for the increase. Providers are also unsure what to expect from the new presidential administration.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness chose not to speculate on how President Donald Trump’s policies may impact funding and support, but said it’s keeping an eye on the actions of new Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner. The Alliance relies on federal funding in the form of grants.

To decompress, Baracliff takes midday walks or unfolds the futon in her office.

“If we have a really bad phone call, I’ll open it up and just like, sit by the window with the air and like, just have a moment,” Barracliff said.

Case worker challenges

While worker burnout was exacerbated by COVID, it’s been ongoing for years.

In some communities, federal pandemic aid made little impact for the organizations serving homeless people, according to Joy Moses, a Vice President at the National Alliance to End Homelessness.

“They had an influx of resources that came from the federal government that they were having a hard time spending because they just didn’t have the staff, the manpower to carry out the good ideas,” Moses said.

She said providers are taking on some of the trauma their unhoused clients share with them, and there are no standardized training or programs for providers to address the additional burden.

Another issue caseworkers face is relatively low pay. More than half of the homeless service providers surveyed in a recent study by the Alliance made less than $55,000 annually.

Low pay also leads to high employee turnover and that impacts care, according to Kellyann Day, Chief Executive Officer of the nonprofit New Reach, which operates two shelters in Connecticut.

New Reach’s turnover has risen to about 20%, Day said.

“In many cases, it’s doubled some years. Our turnover used to be well under 10%,” Day said.

‘Not any right answer’

For Barracliff, who works connecting unhoused callers with help, the pain of her job springs up at odd moments.

“When you’re driving around in your car with your kids, you’re laughing, you’re going to football, and you’re doing normal things, and you look over and you see somebody not doing those things, because they can’t, that are very clearly unhoused,” Barracliff said.

Affordability is the main concern and more affordable apartments around Connecticut would help, Barracliff said.

“People who even have income can’t afford a unit, or to keep up with a unit,” Barracliff said. “We’ve gotten clients a security deposit, and they end up in a unit, and then the rent raises and they can’t afford it. They’ll call back next year. There’s not any right answer.”

For many providers, it comes down to resources and funding. Workers will be able to better care for unhoused residents, if they don’t feel at risk of being unable to afford housing themselves.