Research Institutes, Centers and Programs

The Center for Behavioral Health and Well-Being Research (BHWell) is committed to developing, implementing, and disseminating collaborative research, training, and education in emerging adult and adult behavioral health and well-being. Through a social justice lens, we strive to foster equity by advancing behavioral health and promoting well-being among individuals, families, and communities within and around, Baltimore, the State of Maryland, and globally.

The Ruth Young Social Impact Institute highlights the practice of social work and is committed to building research-based, inclusive, culturally responsive, and transformative child-, youth-and family-serving systems and programs.

The Center for Restorative Change (CRC) consists of community programs including: Positive Schools Center, Promise Heights, Family Connections, Rise Family Support Center, and B'More for Healthy Babies.

The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Center for Violence Prevention seeks to intervene, reduce, and respond to violence in our city, bringing together the expertise of the R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center and the University of Maryland schools of medicine, social work, and law.

Here you will find information on Daniel Thursz, a champion of social justice who embodied and practice the best of social work values, and the activities that are being continued as part of his legacy. , Daniel Thursz Distinguished Professor of Social Justice, spearheads these efforts at the University of Maryland School of Social Work, where Professor Thursz was Dean and Faculty Member.

Fam-TREAT was created to address complex trauma and child maltreatment in families. Through research and education initiatives, Fam-TREAT is dedicated to ensuring that all families, regardless of income or background, have the opportunity to heal and persevere during and after traumatic experiences. So far, Fam-TREAT has helped families in cities across the nation, and is looking to expand its services with providers domestically and internationally.

The Family Welfare Research and Training Group is committed to providing empirical research, data management reports, and training that shape and enhance safety net and child support policies and programs for Maryland's families. We strive to assist state and local program managers, front-line staff, legislators, advocates, and other stakeholders in addressing the many challenges associated with implementing and evaluating safety net and child support programs.

The Financial Social Work Initiative (FSWI) engages campus and community partners to promote economic justice and advance the economic well-being of individuals, families, and communities. FSWI combines both clinical and macro methods into an integrated approach to social work education, research, practice, and policy advocacy, offering a unique model to train social work students and practitioners in the field of financial social work.