New Injury Control Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis

Aug. 4, 2009 -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated the Center for Violence and Injury Prevention (CVIP) at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis as one of its newest Injury Control Research Centers (ICRC).

Preventing child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, suicide and related injuries through community-based research and educational outreach is the goal of the Brown Center for Violence and Injury Prevention. These forms of violence have varied and serious consequences across the lifespan and represent a significant cost to individuals and society. They also are widespread sources of immediate and longer term injury during early childhood and young adulthood. The center will emphasize work that impacts families with young children and youth as they transition to young adulthood.

The center is led by Melissa Jonson-Reid, Ph.D., associate professor at the Brown School. John Constantino, M.D., the Blanche F. Ittleson Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Washington University School of Medicine, serves as co-director.

"Connecting research to communities is a primary focus for CDC and we are pleased that the Brown CVIP to part of this critical research network," said Dr. Ileana Arias, Director of CDC's Injury Center. "Their work addresses critical gaps and can help shape a better understanding of how to improve the lives of those affected so that they can live to their full potential."

CDC's Injury Control Research Centers (ICRC) are located at 11 academic health centers throughout the United States. At each ICRC, scientists from a wide spectrum of disciplines focus upon discovering how to prevent and control injuries more effectively. They also work to identify critical knowledge gaps in injury risk and protection and also conduct research to address these gaps. Furthermore, this network of ICRC's also provide technical assistance to injury prevention and control programs within their geographic region.

"The Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis is honored to be the first school of social work selected to host one of the CDC's Injury Control Research Centers," said Jonson-Reid. "We are excited by this opportunity to advance evidence-based primary prevention of violence among young families, as well as intervention that can reduce harmful consequences such as a child victim's increased risk of later perpetration of violence toward themselves or others."

Effective prevention, intervention, and state-of-the-art transdisciplinary training necessitates extensive collaboration. The Brown Center for Violence and Injury Prevention will be working with outstanding researchers from multiple disciplines at Washington University, the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri- St Louis, the Saint Louis University School of Public Health, members of a research advisory board composed of national experts, and a field agency advisory board composed of local- and state-level agency representatives.

About the Brown School

The mission of the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis is to educate and prepare future social work and public health leaders in the areas of policy, practice, and research; to pioneer research and apply results to impact policy and practice locally, nationally and internationally; and to collaborate with organizations to use evidence to improve access to and quality of social services and to address social and economic justice.

About Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University, a medium-sized, independent university, is dedicated to challenging its faculty and students alike to seek new knowledge and greater understanding of an ever-changing, multicultural world. The University is counted among the world's leaders in teaching and research and draws students and faculty to St. Louis from all 50 states and more than 110 nations. The University is highly regarded for its commitment to excellence in learning. Its programs, administration, facilities, resources, and activities combine to further its mission of teaching, research, and service to society.

More Information

For information about the Brown Center for Violence and Injury Prevention ICRC, visit gwbweb.wustl.edu.

For more information about CDC's Injury Center's research, visit www.cdc.gov/injury.