{"id":37376,"date":"2026-05-27T16:43:14","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T16:43:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caseyfamilyv2.wpengine.com\/?p=37376"},"modified":"2026-07-15T19:51:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T19:51:00","slug":"estrategias-de-bienestar-organizacional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casey.org\/es\/organizational-wellness-strategies\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfC\u00f3mo pueden los l\u00edderes centrar el bienestar de la fuerza laboral en las agencias de protecci\u00f3n infantil?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\n \n \n \n \n

A strong, stable child welfare workforce is important to staff morale, organizational functioning, and positive outcomes for the children and families being served,1<\/sup><\/a> and sustaining one is a constant challenge facing child welfare leaders. Child welfare work is complex and emotionally draining. Leadership, from supervisors to executive administrators, plays a key role in shaping the organizational culture that best supports the physical, psychological, and social well-being of their staff.2<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n

A focus on personal wellness and the wellness of your workforce is not optional. It is a necessary element, not only for your success as the leader, but also for the success of children, families, communities, and your workforce.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

— Kim Johnson, Secretary, California Health and Human Services Agency<\/cite><\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\n\n \n \n \n \n

Wellness is as important for high-level executives as for frontline caseworkers. Leaders often work under extreme pressures and stressors without a safe space to process or discuss their experiences. Leadership strain and burnout can negatively shape organizational culture, decision-making, and support for frontline staff, ultimately affecting service quality. To learn more about the connection between leader wellness and organizational stability, see the companion brief: What do we know about wellness in child welfare organizations?<\/a><\/p>\n

This brief describes strategies for promoting wellness at the individual and organizational levels, with the goal of supporting positive staff performance, and effective engagement and service delivery for children and families. The ideas presented are informed by a group of child welfare and human service executives3<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0who participated in a multi-year wellness collective initiative to explore leadership development, strengthen peer support networks, and exchange strategies for systems improvement.<\/p>\n

Modeling wellness<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n

How can leaders serve children and families from a place of emptiness? We can\u2019t. So we must model wellness and what it takes to have longevity in this work. This is not an individual commitment; wellness should happen in community with others. That\u2019s how we can put \u2018human\u2019 back into human services.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

— Aprille Flint-Gerner, Former Child Welfare Director, Oregon Department of Human Services<\/cite><\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\n\n \n \n \n \n

Occupational health research<\/a> illustrates that inspiring and motivational leadership practices are associated with positive employee mental health, whereas aggressive and authoritarian practices negatively impact employee well-being.4 <\/sup><\/a>Leaders, of course, need to be well themselves in order to model positive leadership practices, and those who participated in the wellness collective say that practicing self-care, being intentional, setting boundaries, and taking time off all contributed to their individual well-being \u2014 and therefore their ability to model positive behaviors for their teams.<\/p>\n

Practice self-care<\/h3>\n

Self-care among the child welfare workforce has been recognized as a strategy to support staff and mitigate turnover.5<\/sup><\/a> Self-care can take many shapes, but regardless of the activity, it requires intentional effort, strategy and follow-through. As one leader described it, self-care can be as simple as staying hydrated, practicing intentional breathing and movement like taking a five-minute walk to reset after a meeting, or performing stretches while sitting at the desk to release tension. One tool to support leaders and staff alike is the 8 Dimensions of Wellness framework<\/a>, created by the Wellness Initiative at Syracuse University. It emphasizes that users should become aware of the steps they are taking to support their well-being, and encourages them to formally track<\/a> all the different ways in which they are attending to their personal wellness. This tool recognizes the multiple dimensions of wellness and the wide variety of activities that count as wellness, including some that initially might seem surprising.<\/p>\n

Allowing oneself permission to practice self-care can be difficult when working in a complex, busy, and pressure-filled environment. Child welfare leaders habitually may work late, send emails from home at night, skip lunch breaks, or rarely take time off. These behaviors send subtle but powerful signals to staff about what work behaviors are expected and acceptable. On the other hand, leaders who routinely practice their own self-care are more likely to recognize signs of depletion in others and, as a result, legitimize self-care and achieving a healthy work-life balance as professional priorities.<\/p>\n

Research suggests that leader self-care can improve staff well-being.6<\/sup><\/a> One leader compared it to being on an airplane and putting the oxygen mask on yourself first so you can then help others. Kim Johnson, Secretary for the California Health and Human Services Agency, said she has become more attentive to signs of work fatigue and burnout among staff: \u201cI am much better at noticing people who don\u2019t take time off, and I insist that they do, to replenish and recharge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Make wellness practical<\/h3>\n

Leaders identified practical wellness activities such as getting adequate sleep, staying hydrated, increasing physical movement, and taking time off as critical to enhancing professional performance. DeShawn Harris, assistant commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Children\u2019s Services, described how he incorporates breathing practices \u201cto center himself amid the chaos of the day,\u201d which he believes improves his judgment and overall decision-making.<\/p>\n

Practical wellness activities can be embedded throughout a child protection agency. Aryka Radke, deputy commissioner of the Vermont Department for Children and Families, shared how agency leaders encouraged each district office to create dedicated wellness spaces, some featuring music, walking pads, and a massage chair (which was donated). \u201cStaff now have space to relax and decompress in between meetings,\u201d Radke said.<\/p>\n

Be intentional with your time<\/h3>\n

Leaders who make points of protecting and managing their time are better able to remain present, grounded, and effective, benefiting not only themselves, but the workforce and the children and families they serve. In child welfare, where urgency and crisis are constant, designating time for both professional tasks and personal well-being creates space for physical and emotional restoration. Radke shared that managing her time better resulted in strengthening her ability to strategically plan: \u201cI had to build in calendar time for balcony-level thinking. Before, I didn\u2019t have time to think about new initiatives because I was trying to get through each fire. But when I felt physically and mentally better, I was able to open my mind to do longer-range planning, which translated to having a stronger plan for our child welfare division.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kwesi Booker, director of Children and Family Services in Hennepin County, Minn., said he dedicates Friday afternoons to administrative tasks: \u201cUnless there is an emergency, my assistant builds in a block of time for me to catch up on emails, review administrative work, and approve policies. Previously, we would have a full day of meetings and wouldn\u2019t even start those admin tasks until 6 p.m. But designating time for admin work has helped alleviate that stress, and now I see my leadership team doing the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Set boundaries<\/h3>\n

Research suggests that maintaining work and life boundaries can improve the relationship between workload and work-life conflicts among social workers7<\/sup><\/a><\/a> and can help prevent emotional and mental exhaustion at work from spilling over into personal life. Alger Studstill Jr., executive director of the Social Services Administration at the Maryland Department of Human Services, described how firm boundaries allow him to maintain personal commitments to himself: \u201cI believe in having hard boundaries. I am committed to going to the movies in the evenings once a week. That is my personal time. We\u2019re expected to be available 24\/7, but there are times when I just need time to recharge.\u201d<\/p>\n

Implementing other simple boundaries such as turning off the cell phone for a period of time while delegating responsibility to other leaders, and scheduling and showing up for personal non-work-related appointments, also can support overall psychological and physical health. Booker reflected on how establishing clearer boundaries has improved his relationship with his own children: \u201cThey knew that once the phone rang, everything stopped. Whether we were eating dinner or playing a game, that call took priority. Now, I realize that when I\u2019m having quality time with my kids, it\u2019s okay to have a backup leader on point who can handle issues and call me only if it\u2019s absolutely necessary. My kids no longer expect me to disappear when the phone rings.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take time off<\/h3>\n

Being overwhelmed, a relatively common feeling reported by the child welfare workforce, can result in cognitive fatigue, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness, and impaired problem-solving.8<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0Although it is often challenging for child welfare leaders and staff to be away from the office for an extended period, rest is important. Leaders can help foster an agency culture where workers are open to taking occasional days off and longer breaks. One leader described implementing a \u201cvacation buddy\u201d system to address staff reluctance to take leave due to concerns about the workload awaiting them upon return. Leaders assign a colleague to manage cases while a staff member is away and assist with work re-entry by reviewing emails, sharing updates, and clarifying expectations. Implementing this system has made staff more comfortable taking time off without feeling anxious or guilty, the leader said.<\/p>\n

When leaders take time off, they create opportunities for other staff to emerge as future leaders by designating responsibilities to them. This hands-on experience builds confidence, improves decision-making skills, supports professional growth, and strengthens organizational capacity, which is especially important in child welfare, where turnover rates are often high. Johnson shared how she implemented a structure in California designed to \u201creplenish and refresh\u201d leadership capacity: \u201cWhile serving as the director of Social Services, I\u2019ve taken responsibilities of different leaders in the organization and have added additional people to support those areas. We now have additional capacity to ensure we always have someone who can keep the work going if someone needs to take time off. The people who had a harder time taking time off feel better about doing so with the new structure.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

In a system where wellness and psychological safety is not prioritized or given much forethought, there is a lot of burnout, turnover, and punitive actions.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

— DeShawn Harris, Assistant Commissioner, Tennessee Department of Children\u2019s Services<\/cite><\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\n\n \n \n \n \n

Prioritize wellness agencywide<\/h2>\n

People at every level of an organization must feel a sense of physical safety and psychological support to perform effectively. This includes elements such as visible symbols of inclusivity, access to natural light and safe outdoor space, and opportunities to have a voice within the organization. Leaders and administrators play a pivotal role in cultivating psychological9<\/sup><\/a><\/a> and physical safety for the workforce.<\/p>\n

Build wellness into agency culture<\/h3>\n

Child protection agency leaders in Kansas<\/a>, New York City, Ohio<\/a>, and counties in Colorado implement group-based training and peer supports to enhance job satisfaction, optimism, social support, and self-care while mitigating secondary traumatic stress and burnout among frontline staff and supervisors. This approach<\/a> \u2014 combined with support from agency leadership \u2014 has been found to reduce stress and increase engagement among the child welfare workforce.10<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n

Peer supports rarely exist for child welfare executives, however. Creating opportunities for leaders to share professional experiences while giving and receiving emotional support from others managing similar stresses can positively impact their wellness, and ultimately strengthen how they administer their agencies.<\/p>\n

Promote psychological safety<\/h3>\n

The concept of psychological safety<\/a>, which emerged from the business world, refers to an environment where people feel safe to take risks, contribute ideas, and admit mistakes without fear of punishment. In child welfare, the fear or punishment associated with mistakes often is paramount. \u201cIn our practice, failure sometimes means bad outcomes for a child or family, so it\u2019s hard to understand what it means when saying, \u2018It’s OK to fail,\u2019\u201d one leader said.<\/p>\n

In a work environment where expectations and stakes are high, creating a psychologically safe workplace culture<\/a> allows staff to raise concerns, ask for help, and learn from mistakes to improve practices and ultimately prevent harm. Leaders should encourage open communication and model vulnerability to create a safe workplace that promotes well-being.11<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0This can be accomplished by normalizing help-seeking and using mistakes to prompt learning and curiosity. Harris indicated that he is intentional about building a psychologically safe environment for his Tennessee team through encouragement and thoughtful listening. He insisted that \u201cbeing vulnerable with staff\u201d has increased their comfort in being vulnerable with him, which he believes has helped the team to become \u201cunified.\u201d<\/p>\n

Share wellness responsibilities<\/h3>\n

Leaders emphasize the importance of listening to the ideas and interests of staff to better support their wellness activities. One leader revealed that leadership-initiated wellness strategies for staff, such as offering on-site yoga or providing Fitbit watches, may have been well-intended but did not reflect staff desires.<\/p>\n

Listening to staff also helps gain buy-in, build psychological safety, and help shift the core responsibility of agency wellness from a top-down mandate to a shared initiative. Studstill of Maryland suggested that agency leaders identify wellness champions or influencers within the organization and empower them to define priorities and plan, with the executive stepping back to serve as a sponsor who provides resources and demonstrates outward support. This approach allows staff to gather and share without hierarchical pressure.<\/p>\n

Support affinity groups<\/h3>\n

Affinity groups help foster supportive professional relationships by creating spaces where individuals with shared identities, roles, or lived experiences can connect, reflect, and problem-solve together. One leader explained that being a part of an affinity community of peers provided a trusted sounding board that was pivotal to his psychological wellness.<\/p>\n

Affinity groups also can help leaders identify opportunities for staff development. Demetrius Starling, senior deputy director for children\u2019s services at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, has launched a workgroup focused on preparing men of color for advancement in child welfare. Recognizing that men represent a small percentage of the child welfare workforce, and that men are even more underrepresented in leadership positions, he brought together staff at all levels \u2014 from administrative assistants to second-line managers \u2014 to demystify the path to executive leadership while offering guidance on career progression. The initiative has reinforced the message that advancement is attainable and that diverse leaders belong at every level of a child welfare organization, he said.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n
\n

I think affinity groups are helpful because there is a base-level understanding of what connects all of us in the room, no matter what the affinity is. It gives a sense of safety, but trust still must be built.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

— Alger Studstill Jr., Executive Director, Social Services Administration, Maryland Department of Human Services<\/cite><\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n

Casey Family Programs consults with individuals and teams across the country to compile research, experiences, and insights about approaches that can safely reduce the need for foster care and ensure the well-being of children and families. We share this information broadly to help child welfare leaders and their partners tackle similar issues in their own communities. For questions about this resource, or if you have other child welfare information needs, please email kmresources@casey.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n
\n
\n

1 Zeitlin, W., Kenny Lawrence, C., Armendariz, S., and Chontow, K. (2023). Predicting retention for a diverse and inclusive child welfare workforce. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance<\/em>. 47(1), 9-27.<\/p>\n

2 Lizano, E.L., He, A.S., Leake, R. (2021). Caring for our child welfare workforce: A holistic framework of worker well-being<\/a>. Human Service Organizations: Management, Leadership & Governance<\/em>. 45:4., 281-292.<\/p>\n

3 The content in this brief was informed by conversations with: Aryka Radke, Deputy Commissioner, Vermont Agency of Human Services ,Department for Children and Families, on October 31, 2025; Kim Johnson, Secretary, California Health and Human Services Agency, on October 31, 2025; Alger Studstill Jr, Executive Director, Social Services Administration, Maryland Department of Human Services, on November 24, 2025; Demetrius Starling, former Senior Deputy Director for Children’s Services, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, on December 1, 2025; Kwesi Booker, Director of Children and Family Services, Hennepin County, Minnesota, on December 8, 2025; and DeShawn Harris, Assistant Commissioner for West Regional Operations, Tennessee Department of Children’s Services, on December 9, 2025.<\/p>\n

4 Montano, D., Reeske, A., Franke, F., and Huffneier, J. (2017). Leadership, followers\u2019 mental health and job performance in organizatons: A comprehensive meta-analysis from an occupational health perspective<\/a>. Journal of Organizational Behavior<\/em>. 3, 327-350. doi:10.1002\/job.2124<\/p>\n

5 Miller, J.J., Donohue-Dioh, J., Niu, C., and Shalash, N. (2018). Exploring the self-care practices of child welfare workers: A research brief. Children and Youth Services Review.<\/em> 84: 137-142.<\/p>\n

6 Klug, K., Felfe, J., & Krick, A. (2022). Does Self-Care Make You a Better Leader? A Multisource Study Linking Leader Self-Care to Health-Oriented Leadership, Employee Self-Care, and Health.\u00a0International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health,\u00a019<\/em>(11), 6733.<\/p>\n

7 McNeill, I.M., & Cullington, E. (2025). Workload, work-life conflict, and stress amongst mental health professionals: The moderating role of segmentation preference<\/a>. Stress Health<\/em>. August 2025; 41(4):e70095. doi: 10.1002\/smi.70095.<\/p>\n

8 Zucker, R. (2023). How taking a vacation improves your well-being. Harvard Business Review<\/p>\n

9 Clark, S.L., Riley, E. N., Lardner, M.D., Theile, K., Edge, L., Pearson, T., and Cull, M.J. (2025) Team culture factors and child welfare professionals\u2019 well-being: Association of psychological safety, workplace connectedness and mindful organising with secondary traumatic stress<\/a>. Child & Family Social Work<\/em>. 0:1-10. doi:10.1111\/cfs.70104<\/p>\n

10 Quality Improvement for Workforce Development (2023) Ohio Department of Job and Family Services: Supportive supervision and a resilient workforce<\/a>.<\/p>\n

11 Clark, S.L., Riley, E. N., Lardner, M.D., Theile, K., Edge, L., Pearson, T., and Cull, M.J. (2025).<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\n
\n\n \n \n \n \n