Binghamton University named partner school in homelessness initiative

Binghamton University has been selected to be a full partner school in the National Homelessness Social Work Initiative (NHSWI); the move will allow students, faculty and staff in the College of Community and Public Affairs (CCPA) Social Work Department to lessen the impact of homelessness in the community.

As a partner school, CCPA, through its Social Work Department, will advance its work in the area of homelessness, including research, curriculum formation, practice and service
implementation.

NHSWI, part of the National Center for Excellence in Homeless Services at the University at Albany, is funded by a grant from the New York Community Trust. CCPA, home to
the University’s Social Work Department, served as one of 18 liaison schools last year and was selected as a full NHWSI partner school as a result of its engagement,
knowledge sharing and leadership in the effort to address homelessness.

“We want to be leaders in alleviating homelessness in the Southern Tier,” said Associate Professor Cassandra Bransford, who initiated CCPA’s work with NHSWI. “Whether
concerned with individual needs or policy reform, social workers continue to be among the strongest voices for change and social justice.”

NHSWI works with social work programs, providers and policymakers to improve advocacy and services for homeless men, women and children. The organization aims to strengthen partnerships with social work programs to promote evidence-based and emerging practices to addressing homelessness, generate new strategies for services, and engage with national and local agencies that help the homeless.

“Homelessness is a challenge in all regions of the United States. Looking at homelessness across populations, cities and states will allow the partner organizations to exchange knowledge, research and innovations to combat homelessness,” Bransford said.

Bransford said the Social Work Department plans to initiate more activities in the coming year as a full partner school: “With this partnership, there will be more attention than ever on supporting one of the most vulnerable populations. A core part of CCPA’s mission is to combine research, education and practice to discover innovative solutions for the world’s most pressing problems.”