Evaluating Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence
- Cris M. Sullivan
- Department of Psychology
- College of Social Science
Some of Turning Point's programs are very simple. The Second Hand Rose resale store in Mt. Clemens supports the organization's mission through revenues earned from community donations. Survivors can "shop" for free.
As a community psychologist, Cris Sullivan believes that research should be informed by community engagement. "Social change should always be a focal point of our work," she said. "I am fortunate to have collaborations with some outstanding agencies and organizations."
Dr. Sullivan is recognized nationally for her research on violence against women. She has generated more than $10 million for MSU in research funding, primarily from the National Institute of Mental Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Department of Justice.
One of Sullivan's long-standing partnerships is with Turning Point, Inc., a service agency based in Mt. Clemens, Michigan, that offers programs and resources to help victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and homelessness regain control of their lives.
Suzanne Coats, executive director of Turning Point, is a nationally renowned advocate who shares Sullivan's passion for demonstrably effective community intervention programs.
Their most recent collaboration involves a five-year National Institute of Mental Health grant (with MSU faculty members Rebecca Campbell, Deborah Bybee, and Celia Wills) to develop a research infrastructure within Turning Point that will support a wide variety of research studies pertaining to effective mental health services for survivors.
The two partners also co-wrote Outcome Evaluation Strategies for Sexual Assault Service Programs: A Practical Guide, which has been enthusiastically received nationwide.
Sullivan and Coats received the inaugural MSU Outreach Scholarship Community Partnership Award in 2006.
Honoring Engaged Research: The Outreach Scholarship Community Partnership Award
Michigan State University inaugurated the Outreach Scholarship Community Partnership Award in 2006. The annual award provides University-wide recognition of highly engaged community-based research collaborations that positively impact both the community and the scholarship. Every year, one award is conferred upon an MSU researcher and his or her designated partner; each receives a stipend of $1,500. Award recipients are recognized at the University's annual Awards Convocation in February.
See engage.msu.edu for more information about funding opportunities for outreach research.
- Written by Linda Chapel Jackson, University Outreach and Engagement
