Social Skills and Role Playing in Homeless Services

We recently reviewed 500 clients’ skill sets and found over 90% were missing at least one basic social skill. In our years of experience, we have found that unless the person is taught these skills including some intermediate social skills, their chances of sustaining successful community inclusion, employment and/or independent living is significantly reduced. The presentation will review the basic, intermediate, advanced and complex social skills outlined by Girls and Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska (protocol will be distributed at the talk). We will also review how we incorporate a review of these skills in our assessment process to determine what deficits need to be addressed. The presentation will stress the importance of the adult learning theory and the need to role play and rehearse specific social skills with clients. We will share specific case studies and the intricacies of our approach to case management. Of significant importance is the fact that this approach is not counter to the tenets of “Housing First”. We need to recognize social skill deficits and make arrangements for community linkages which will support their development.

Tere Pettitt, LMSW, CSW, NYSNHA has over 30 years of experience in health care and human services, currently at Volunteers of America-Greater New York which is an affiliate of Volunteers of America, a national faith-based human services agency dating back to 1896. She oversees 73 human services programs in the tri-state area serving approximately 40,000 clients annually, including the homeless, mentally ill, chemically addicted, frail elderly, youth in need, developmentally disabled and domestic violence victims.

PDF of Powerpoint Presentation: Social Skills and Role Playing in Homeless Services