Research Centers and Institutes

• Academy for Professional Excellence
• Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies and Services
• Consensus Organizing Center
• Social Policy Institute

Academy for Professional Excellence
SDSU School of Social Work

The Academy for Professional Excellence, administered through the SDSU School of Social Work, was established in 1996 with the mission to provide quality training and organizational support to health and human services agencies in the Southern California region including the counties of Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura. The goal of the center is to make university faculty and staff available to public and private social services agencies in the region by providing expertise, training, and technical assistance in curriculum development, in-service training, organizational development, research, and evaluation. The academy develops high quality competency-based curriculum on select topics for social services agencies in the region; provides quality training to service providers and administrators employed in social services agencies: engages in research and evaluation to improve the quality accountability and responsiveness of human service agencies; and, develops highly competent executives in the Southern California region who will have the skills, knowledge, and experience to effectively guide organizational change and development.

The academy has extensive experience in managing contracts with multiple partners and organizations/agencies, providing specialized services, including: curriculum development, multi-disciplinary competency-based trainings, workforce analysis, staff retention consultation, research, organizational development and organizational needs assessments, technical assistance and evaluation. Funding sources are grants and contracts from federal, state, and county government agencies as well as private non-for-profit agencies.

Academy Contact: 6505 Alvarado Road, Suite 107, San Diego, CA 92120, 619-594-3546

Center for Alcohol and Drug Studies and Services
SDSU School of Social Work

The center was established in 1985 by the SDSU School of Social Work as the Center on Substance Abuse. In 2003, the emphasis was changed to research and evaluation, while maintaining its primary service program, a drunk driving education and treatment program. The center is actively engaged in conduction alcohol and other drug research and evaluation projects. Over the past decade, the center has received numerous federal, state, and county grants and contracts and has several ongoing projects including the NIH funded College Party and Bar Environmental Prevention Project and an Evaluation of California's State Prevention Grants. In addition, the center operates the Central District Driving Under the Influence Program, which provides education and counseling services for court-ordered offenders in the central judicial district id San Diego County.

Center Contact: 6386 Alvarado Road, Suite 224, San Diego, CA 92120 619-229-2340

Central District Driving Under the Influence Program: 9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 101, San Diego, CA 92123 858-467-6810

Consensus Organizing Center
SDSU School of Social Work

The Consensus Organizing Center is administered through the SDSU School of Social Work. The center's mission is to educate and train a new generation of social workers in community building techniques in order to make then effective catalysts for civic engagement and social change. Through school bases programs and community interventions, the center has created an environment for the teaching of consensus organizing skills to social workers, high school students, foster youth, and community leaders. Specific activities include developing a fellowship program for high school students and provide employment opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students.

Center Contact: 4283 El Cajon Blvd., Suite 115B, San Diego, CA 92105 619-594-4813

Social Policy Institute
SDSU School of Social Work

Administered through the SDSU School of Social Work. The mission of the institute is to assist local, state and regional public and private sector leaders in the development of policies and programs that focus on family and community well-being. The institute is particularly focused on prevention programs that reduce adverse outcomes for vulnerable individuals, families, and communities. To this end, we assist with community needs assessments, as well as program development and evaluations.

last upated: 1/3/08