Feeling Connected: Examining the Importance of Human Connection on the Personal Outlook of Social Service Providers Working with the Homeless During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract This research study explores the lived experiences of social workers and social service providers (collectively referred to as ‘providers’) working with the homeless and homeless-adjacent populations in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic. We examine how the pandemic changed the work providers do, and how providers coped with and adapted to these changes. This research utilizes traditional qualitative interviews with a total of twenty providers located in the North-Western United States (NW-US). Key findings from this research indicate providers\u27 outcomes were influenced by the extent of their social connections to community, clients, and coworkers throughout the pandemic. This study confirms earlier research on the importance of social capital in minimizing negative mental health outcomes for providers working through situations that reflect large-scale social crises. This research has potential policy implications for provider networks in the event of similar crises in the future