Listen.Up.People.

For four decades, research has proven that Housing First – an evidence-based approach based upon principles of consumer choice, harm reduction and immediate access to permanent independent housing – produces higher rates of persons exiting homelessness than any other approach that’s been studied. Yet, these results are now being challenged by the federal government.Ben Henwood, professor, and Sam Tsemberis, who developed the Housing First approach and founded the Pathways Housing First Institute, discuss this groundbreaking model that has been at the forefront of efforts to end homelessness.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube

Use of the arts can be an important tool for improving mental health in social work practice, often acting as a bridge to build trust between client and therapist. Michal Sela-Amit, associate teaching professor, and Danielle Brown, associate teaching professor, are advancing the use of art and expressive practices to improve health and wellness.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube

People experience and interact with the world around them in many ways, with no one "right" way of thinking, learning and behaving. Christina Paddock, associate teaching professor of practicum education, and Mona Kay, PhD '01 and founder of Neurodiverse Love, focus on the positive aspects of neurodiverse children and adults, helping them address challenges and empowering them to thrive. music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube

It is often community response, such as mutual aid and collective action, that mitigate the most immediate impacts following a natural disaster. Michàlle Mor Barak, Dean Endowed Professor of Social Work and Business, and Bistra Dilkina, Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg Early Career Chair in Computer Science at USC Viterbi School of Engineering, are collaborating on a study that combines social science with machine learning to measure the positive effects of community resilience at the geographic level.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube

People living with HIV and AIDS today are the first generation to age with this disease and pioneer a path for what that means. Sara Schwartz, associate teaching professor, and Paul Nash, instructional professor of gerontology at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, focus on this population of people aging with HIV/AIDS, and how our systems can best support them.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube

Over half of individuals who die by suicide do not have a known mental health condition, and given that 50 – 60% to not tell anyone beforehand, and a core challenge of suicide prevention is identifying those most at risk of falling through the cracks. Carl Castro, professor and director of military and veterans programs, and John Blosnich, associate professor, are creating upstream interventions to illuminate and address this crucial gap in suicide prevention.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.

An estimated 27 million people are exploited for labor, services and commercial sex globally. Annalisa Enrile, teaching professor, and Holly Priebe Sotelo, associate teaching professor, have dedicated their careers to preventing and combatting human trafficking, with a vision to eradicate trafficking in all its forms.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.

For over 10 years, the Interprofessional Education and Collaboration for Geriatrics (IECG) has trained USC students across the five health sciences schools to provide coordinated, team-based and patient-centered care specifically tailored to the needs of older adults. Dawn Joosten-Hagye, teaching professor at USC Social Work, and Tatyana Gurvich, associate professor of clinical pharmacy at the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, are members of the IECG faculty who are putting theory into practice across seven health professions.Read more about IECG's research on the impact of interprofessional education:Journal of Interprofessional CareJournal of the American College of Clinical Pharmacymusic by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.

In 2024, 48.4 million people aged 12 or older struggled with substance use disorder in the past year. Olivia Lee, associate professor, and Jennifer Lewis, teaching professor, are members of the USC Institute for Addiction Science which aims to revolutionize the way substance use is discussed, treated and prevented, including the development of the first Master of Addiction Science degree at a major university melding social work, pharmacy and medicine together.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.

Active-duty service members and veterans experience their greatest challenges and vulnerabilities at key points of transition in their military careers. Carl Castro, director of military and veterans programs, and Sara Kintzle, research professor, are improving care for service members, veterans and military families during transitions by impacting policy - focusing not just on meeting their needs but ensuring they are equipped to thrive.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.

Studies have shown that individuals who survive a violent crime or traumatic event will experience social and emotional problems as a result. Ruth Supranovich, associate dean for community and clinical programs, and Sarah Caliboso-Soto, clinical director of the Telebehavioral Health Clinic, are the creators of the Trauma Recovery Center – the first dedicated trauma center at USC - helping survivors in the community heal so they can live long, healthy and productive lives.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.

Overall, LGBT individuals experience significantly higher rates of mental and behavioral health problems than their heterosexual peers, yet efforts to address these disparities in the research world are lacking. Through their own research, John Blosnich, associate professor, and Gabriel Robles, assistant professor, envision of a world that promotes the physical, emotional and social well-being of all people regardless of sexual orientation.music by The Intimate Yellers, available on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music and YouTube.