Free guides
Practical guides for frontline teams
Plain-language guides for case managers, leaders, building managers, and security and safety staff in homeless services.
- De-escalation and Crisis Response
- Engagement and Case Management
- Boundaries and Ethics
- Facility Safety
- Leadership and Operations
De-escalation and Crisis Response
Verbal De-escalation Techniques for Shelter and Housing Staff
Practical verbal de-escalation techniques for shelter, housing, and outreach staff: tone, wording, listening, and offering choices.
Read the guideRecognizing the Warning Signs of Escalation
How frontline staff can spot the early behavioral warning signs that a client is escalating, and what to do at each stage.
Read the guideResponding to a Mental Health Crisis at a Shelter or Housing Site
A practical guide for non-clinical staff on how to respond when a client is in a mental health crisis on site.
Read the guideDe-escalation Phrases: What to Say and What to Avoid
Word-for-word phrases frontline staff can use to de-escalate a tense situation, and common phrases that make things worse.
Read the guidePersonal Space, Positioning, and Body Language for Staff Safety
How distance, stance, and body language help frontline staff stay safe and keep tense situations from escalating.
Read the guideHow to Run a Post-Incident Debrief with Your Team
A simple structure supervisors can use to debrief staff after a critical incident, support the team, and improve practice.
Read the guideWhen to Call 911: A Guide for Shelter and Housing Staff
How shelter and housing staff can decide when to call 911, what to tell the dispatcher, and what to do while waiting.
Read the guideResponding to a Suspected Overdose on Site: Preparing Your Team
How shelters and housing sites can prepare staff to respond quickly to a suspected overdose, from policy to practice.
Read the guideWhat to Expect from Crisis Intervention Training
What crisis intervention training covers, who should attend, and how nonprofit teams can get the most from it.
Read the guideEngagement and Case Management
Trauma-Informed Care Basics for Frontline Staff
A plain-language introduction to trauma-informed care for shelter, housing, and outreach staff, with everyday examples.
Read the guideBuilding Rapport with Clients Who Have Been Let Down Before
Practical ways case managers and frontline staff can build trust and rapport with clients experiencing homelessness.
Read the guideMotivational Interviewing Basics for Case Managers
An introduction to motivational interviewing for case managers: the core skills, examples, and common mistakes.
Read the guideEngaging Clients Who Decline Services
How outreach workers and case managers can stay engaged with people who say no to shelter, housing, or services.
Read the guideHarm Reduction Principles for Shelter and Housing Staff
What harm reduction means for frontline staff at shelters and housing sites, and how it shows up in daily practice.
Read the guideHousing First Explained for New Staff
A short explanation of the Housing First approach for new shelter and housing staff, and what it means for daily work.
Read the guideCase Notes Best Practices: Writing Notes That Hold Up
How case managers can write clear, objective, timely case notes that support clients and stand up to an audit.
Read the guideWarm Handoffs: Making Referrals That Actually Connect
How to make warm handoff referrals that clients follow through on, from preparation to follow-up.
Read the guidePets in Shelters: Supporting Clients with Animals
Why pets matter to people experiencing homelessness, and how shelters and housing programs can support clients with animals.
Read the guideBoundaries and Ethics
Professional Boundaries in Homeless Services: Real-World Examples
Everyday examples of professional boundaries for shelter and housing staff, and how to respond when they are tested.
Read the guideDual Relationships, Gifts, and Social Media: Handling the Gray Areas
How shelter and housing staff can handle dual relationships, gifts, and social media contact with clients.
Read the guideConfidentiality Basics for Shelter and Housing Staff
The everyday habits that protect client confidentiality at shelters and housing sites, and the common ways it gets broken.
Read the guideCompassion Fatigue and Burnout in Homeless Services
How to recognize compassion fatigue and burnout in homeless services staff, and what workers and leaders can do about it.
Read the guideA Simple Ethical Decision-Making Framework for Frontline Staff
A step-by-step framework shelter and housing staff can use to work through ethical dilemmas on the job.
Read the guideBoundary Violations: Early Warning Signs for Supervisors
How supervisors can spot the early warning signs of boundary drift on their team and respond before harm is done.
Read the guideFacility Safety
How to Write a Clear Incident Report
A step-by-step guide to writing clear, factual incident reports at shelters and housing sites, with examples.
Read the guideShelter and Housing Site Safety Walkthrough Checklist
A practical safety walkthrough checklist for building managers and safety staff at shelters and supportive housing sites.
Read the guideFront Desk Security Best Practices for Shelters and Housing Sites
How front desk and security staff can keep a shelter or housing site entrance safe, welcoming, and well run.
Read the guideEmergency Preparedness for Shelters and Supportive Housing
How shelters and supportive housing sites can prepare for fires, earthquakes, and other emergencies.
Read the guideWorking with Police, Fire, and EMS at Your Site
How shelter and housing staff can work effectively with police, firefighters, and paramedics during and after an incident.
Read the guideTrauma-Informed Security: A Guide for Security Staff in Human Services
How security staff at shelters and housing sites can keep people safe using a trauma-informed, respectful approach.
Read the guideHandling Prohibited Items and Weapons Concerns at Intake
How shelters and housing sites can set and apply a clear, respectful policy on prohibited items and weapons concerns.
Read the guideLeadership and Operations
Onboarding New Shelter Staff: A First 30 Days Plan
A practical first-30-days onboarding plan for new shelter and housing staff, from day one to working independently.
Read the guideReducing Staff Turnover in Homeless Services
Practical steps nonprofit leaders can take to reduce frontline staff turnover in shelters and housing programs.
Read the guidePreparing for a File Audit: Quality Assurance for Homeless Service Providers
How homeless service providers can prepare client files for an audit and build quality assurance into everyday work.
Read the guideStarting a Homeless Shelter: A Planning Checklist
A planning checklist for organizations starting a new homeless shelter, from need and funding to staffing and opening day.
Read the guideShift Handoff Communication: Passing the Baton Safely
How shelter and housing teams can run reliable shift handoffs so important information is never lost between shifts.
Read the guideHow to Choose a Staff Training Provider for Your Nonprofit
What nonprofit leaders should look for when choosing a staff training provider for shelter, housing, and outreach teams.
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