• Centers

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Centers

Centers & Institute

Rutgers School of Social Work is home to several internationally-known centers and institutes that focus on research leading to real and lasting change.

Institute for Families

Their core mission is to support and strengthen families and communities by increasing the capacity of human service professionals and organizations. They achieve this through a three-pronged approach that mirrors and supports the University’s mission of instruction, research, and public service. 

-Training, technical assistance and professional development
-Applied research and evaluation
-Direct service and advocacy

Center for Gambling Studies

Their mission is two-fold: to drive global decision-making on gambling-related issues by conducting strategic, non-partisan research and policymaking that is international and multidisciplinary, and to benefit individuals and families adversely affected by gambling problems by initiating innovative training and intervention programs. 

Center for Leadership & Management

Established in 2014, CLM seeks to bridge the discipline of social work with the fields of leadership and management from both academic and practice perspectives. We assist local, state, national, and global businesses, nonprofits, and governmental agencies in building their management and leadership talents. CLM is dedicated to capacity building, consultation, scholarship, and service activity across industries and sectors.

Center for Prevention Science

The Center for Prevention Science was established in 2016 with a focus on community-level approaches to prevention. Their mission is to develop and disseminate knowledge through research that builds the capacity of community-based organizations to create changes in public policy or environmental conditions that cause social and health disparities.

Center for Research on Ending Violence

Founded in 2007, their mission is to work to eliminate physical, sexual, and other forms of violence against women and children and the power imbalances that permit them. They accomplish these goals through a collaborative approach that focuses on multidisciplinary research, education, and community engagement. 

Hub for Aging Collaboration

The Rutgers Hub for Aging Collaboration at the School of Social Work advances excellence in collaborative research, teaching, and engagement to improve social contexts for healthy and equitable aging.

Center News

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On Thursday, December 14, 2023, Rutgers Center for Research on Ending Violence, housed within the School of Social Work, and Rutgers Global hosted an on-campus discussion with ten Iraqi activists engaged in work related to gender-based violence who are part of the U.S. Department of State's International Leadership Visitor Program. 

group of adolescents talking in study group

Nationally, 400,000 youth are in foster care at any given time. Only about half will finish high school, and dropout rates are three times higher than other low-income peers. Those who successfully reach a college campus face overwhelming barriers. Many lack the benefit of consistent adult guidance required to navigate the college experience, and basic needs like housing, food security, and finances can become a daily worry. It is estimated that only 5% of these students will graduate from college. The School of Social Work's Institute for Families (IFF) is working to improve these odds through its IFF Fellows Program, which supports students who are current or former youth with experience in the child welfare system.