Our goal is to provide value-driven and empirically based practice and policy leadership; to prevent and mitigate severe social problems which challenge the viability of culturally diverse and complex urban settings; to build on the strengths of individuals, families and communities; and to lead the scholarly search for innovative, efficacious and just solutions.

We intend to prepare social workers for leadership in professional, local, national and international domains. Toward this end, we search for innovative, collaborative, just and humane solutions to address the needs of specific vulnerable populations. As scholars, we are committed to expanding our knowledge base in support of these practices.