Research & Outreach Centers

Center for Health Administration Studies

An  interdisciplinary health policy research center in the School of Social Service Administration, the Center for Health Administration Studies (CHAS) draws on the University's outstanding faculty in management, medicine, public policy, and the social sciences. CHAS also supports a substantial program of education, workshop and symposia, and dissemination of health services research.

CHAS conducts studies of local, national, and international health services delivery, with the mission of improving care delivery to vulnerable populations, particularly in urban settings. The Center specializes in evaluation studies that combine elements of medical care delivery, social services, and public health.

Chapin Hall

Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago engages in policy research in child welfare and children's services. Its primary functions include collecting and reporting data on the condition of children, conducting research in areas of special interest for children, families and communities, and providing information and stimulating discussion about children's issues. Faculty from the School of Social Service Administration work with the Center and direct research under its auspices. SSA doctoral and master level students are research associates and assistants on many of the Center's projects and are active participants in seminars and discussions.

Crime Lab

The University of Chicago Crime Lab seeks to improve our understanding of how to reduce crime and violence by helping government agencies and non-profit organizations rigorously evaluate new pilot programs. The Crime Lab began in April 2008 in partnership with the City of Chicago, and has been made possible by generous seed funding from the Joyce Foundation, the University of Chicago Office of the Provost, and the School of Social Service Administration through the Center for Health Administration Studies. 

EINet

The Employment Instability, Family Well-being, and Social Policy Network (EINet), launched in September 2011, seeks to promote research on the nature, sources, and ramifications of employment instability in low-wage jobs, and to develop and evaluate interventions aimed at reducing employment instability and its effects on children and families.

Network for College Success

The Network for College Success (NCS), based at SSA, works closely with leaders of 11 Chicago Public High Schools. The Network's supports include convening the Success Team Collaborative (formerly FSC), the College Counselors Collaborative, and Instructional Leadership Team Institutes. NCS provides coaching, facilitates peer learning, and brings additional expertise such as those from Targeted Leadership Consulting. The Network works in partnership with Chicago Public Schools and Area 21 of CPS. 

SHINE

Associate Professor Dexter Voisin and Assistant Professors Alida Bouris and Matthew Epperson, created the STI and HIV Intervention Network (SHINE) to conduct research on the biological, behavioral and structural factors that heighten vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections and HIV among ethnic minority communities in the U.S. The Network will develop and evaluate interventions to alleviate existing STI/HIV disparities.