Research and Training

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Pitt's School of Social Work produces research that changes lives. Consistently ranked among the top schools for faculty scholarship and research productivity, the program advocates for a society that respects the dignity and achievement of all individuals, families, and communities through its educational, research and public service activities.

Aging Initiatives and Programs

The school is committed to developing professionals and supporting agencies to serve older adults.

Center on Race and Social Problems

CRSP conducts applied social science research on race, color, ethnicity and their influence on the quality of life for all Americans.

Center for Research on Innovations, Services and Equity in Mental Health (RISE-MH)

Center for Research on Innovations, Services and Equity in Mental Health (RISE-MH) aims to become Pittsburgh’s go-to hub for researchers aiming to move the needle on mental health services in the regionally, nationally and internationally.

Child Welfare Education and Research Programs

The school's Child Welfare Education and Research Programs strengthen child welfare services in Pennsylvania.

Community Engagement

The school is committed to Pitt's mission to build stronger communities and a stronger University through long-term partnerships in select city neighborhoods.

Faculty and Graduate Research

The school's faculty members and doctoral students produce research that improves lives and benefits communities.

Grand Challenges for Social Work

The Grand Challenges for Social Work, initiated by the American Academy of Social Work & Social Welfare (AASWSW) in 2016, and sponsored by the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work and other schools, is a call to action for social work educators, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners to work together—and across disciplines—to tackle some of our toughest social problems.

Homewood Children's Village

The Homewood Children’s Village partners with residents, government, schools, philanthropic foundations, and faith- and community-based organizations to revitalize the neighborhood and make it a place where children thrive.

LCSW Training Institute & Supervision Matching Program

The University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work Professional Education Department and the Vankirk Career Center have partnered with Staunton Farm Foundation to develop a four-year program to support both new LCSW supervisors and LSWs who wish to obtain their clinical licenses but need their supervision hours.

Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities Center

LEND seeks to increase the numbers of professional social workers in general and underrepresented minorities specifically to work in underserved communities, to help expand and develop integrated healthcare models for working with children and adolescents with special health care needs.

Pitt-Assisted Communities and Schools

PACS mobilizes Pitt resources to enrich the lives of Homewood children and youth, while advancing the University's commitment to transformative teaching, learning and community impact.

Pittsburgh Wage Study

The school's wage study provides a broad understanding of the struggles of low-wage workers and the effects of wage increases on their well-being.

Policy Briefs

Read some of the latest research from School of Social Work faculty.

Profiles in Research

Advancing knowledge for impact is core to our mission at the School. Our goal as Social Work scholars is to engage and partner with communities to conduct applied research that will address the pressing social problems of today and improve the conditions of underserved and vulnerable populations. Faculty, students, and staff have all made significant strides in advancing this goal during a time when research that is as socially impactful as our determinations is paramount.

Publications

Find a listing of the recent publications by SSW faculty and doctoral students.

Undergraduate and Graduate Student Research

The school provides undergraduate and graduate students with various opportunities to engage in scholarly research, including the creation and implementation of a practice evaluation during the senior-year practicum.