From Crisis Relief to Self-Sufficiency: A Human-Centered Intervention Model to Economic Independence

Abstract

This article examines existing research on the role of participant and family involvement in the pursuit of achieving economic self-sufficiency. While traditional crisis management and short- term relief programs are necessary, a human-centered intervention with participant involvement, through intentional and structured casework, leaning into empowerment and educational pursuits, is critical to diagnose and address the underlying causes of poverty. Drawing on evidence from the Bucks County Opportunity Council’s (BCOC) Economic Self-Sufficiency (ES) program, the article underscores how individualized coaching, including short- and long-term goal setting, can be used strategically to move individuals away from governmental assistance to a place of self-sustainability. Informed by Ruby Payne’s human-centered framework, extending beyond financial means, demonstrating the need for wraparound interventions, the article positions coaching in the center as the model for economic familial change and poverty alleviation. The key themes of this article include the impact of the social workers’ ongoing professional development and their approach to counseling, advocacy for clients with an emphasis on the importance of creating an individualized environment, and the effectiveness of coordinated family services, through family systems theory (Friedman 2014; Joseph 2019; Mitchell 2019; Payne 2021; Root 2020).