The mission of The Center for Applied Research in Human Development is to enable the development and application of interventions intended to improve quality of life for individuals, families, and communities. In particular, we aim to improve outcomes for sociodemographically marginalized populations by informing and evaluating interventions intended for public benefit. The Center partners with state and federal agencies, community non-profits, human services providers, and educators to design, implement, and monitor interventions to prevent and reduce problems facing families and communities. Our field-based collaborations involve collecting information to assess the implementation of new strategies and to understand their impact.  The Center takes a preventive, integrative, strength-based approach that is rooted in an understanding of contextual factors that influence individuals, families, and systems.

The Center’s areas of focus are: Strengthening Families, Strengthening Communities, Improving Health and Well Being, and Improving Systems and Informing Policy.