Did You Know?

The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy, established in 2008, was created to broaden and deepen knowledge in the field of social justice philanthropy and to empower a new generation of philanthropists to take leading roles in shaping social policy.

Heller School

Several of the university's research centers and institutes are within the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. They are listed as follows.

Schneider Institutes for Health Policy

The Schneider Institutes for Health Policy combines three institutes under a single umbrella to form a leading health-care policy and research entity whose consistent strength is its capacity to analyze the causes of health-care challenges, formulate solutions, implement demonstration projects and evaluate their impacts.

These activities create a rich environment for graduate education and prepare Heller students for leadership roles both nationally and internationally.

  • The Institute on Healthcare Systems at the Schneider Institutes conducts research and policy studies spanning six core competency areas: financing, organization, value of health services, quality, high-cost and high-risk populations and technology.
  • The Institute for Behavioral Health (IBH) at the Schneider Institutes focuses on the intersection of health, behavior and systems of care. The fact that these systems can be better used to promote healthier lifestyles to assist individuals with adopting behaviors that lead to better health guides the work of IBH..
  • The Institute for Global Health and Development at the Schneider Institutes draws on faculty, as well as the Sustainable International Development program and other international policy work at the Heller School. With a focus on actionable learning, the work of the institute impacts policy-making by transferring and diffusing knowledge to those driving policy and implementing reform.

Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy

The Institute for Child, Youth and Family Policy, which includes the Center for Youth and Communities focuses on policies and programs in the domains of child health and development and child welfare, with an emphasis on early childhood and adolescence.

Building on its initial interest in gender roles and work/family issues, the institute is directing increased attention to the health and development of children, particularly as they are threatened by the stresses of poverty, economic insecurity and racial or ethnic discrimination.

  • The Center for Youth and Communities, begun in 1983, has established a national reputation as one of the nation's leading research, professional development and policy organizations in youth and community development. The center's ultimate goal is to "make knowledge productive."

Institute on Assets and Social Policy

The Institute on Assets and Social Policy is dedicated to the economic and social mobility of individuals and families, particularly those traditionally left out of the economic mainstream and to the expansion of the middle class.

Working in close partnership with state and federal policymakers, constituency organizations, grass-roots advocates, private philanthropies and the media, the institute bridges the worlds of academic research, government policymaking and the interests of organizations and constituencies.

The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy

The Lurie Institute for Disability Policy, begun in 2007, supports research, policy development, education and training and enhanced public engagement and dialogue about autism and other disabilities, with a focus on the life span of persons with disabilities and their families. The Lurie Institute also includes the Nathan and Toby Starr Center for Mental Retardation.

  • The Starr Center for Mental Retardation is at the forefront of the field of disability-policy studies, conducting research on the social consequences of disability from early childhood through the elderly years.

Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy

The Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy, established in 2008, was created to broaden and deepen knowledge in the field of social justice philanthropy and to empower a new generation of philanthropists to take leading roles in shaping social policy.

The center focuses on developing new research in the field and educating students through courses, internships and fellowships. It sponsors educational events and works on increasing philanthropic practices on university campuses.

The center also works to strengthen family foundations as they partner with nonprofits and develops best practices in program evaluation and other essential grant-making activities.