Centers
Our Community-Based Centers
The synthesis of knowledge creation with action—research and practice—is evident throughout GSAPP. All six proprietary GSAPP centers exemplify our school’s Service-Training-Research mission. Our centers engage with the community to provide the highest quality, evidence-based services to New Jersey residents, while leading research efforts to enhance care delivery and advance the understanding of human functioning.
Answer
Looking for accessible, medically accurate sexuality information? We have the Answer. For over forty years, Answer has been providing training resources, workshops and webinars on this relevant, yet historically taboo subject matter - for adolescents, the educators and families who support them. The center aims to empower youth-servicing professionals and parents with resources to help them feel comfortable communicating honestly and effectively on this topic without fear or stigma. Using the power of direct peer-to-peer communication, our award-winning, teen-written Sex, Etc. magazine and website reaches teens nationwide.
Center of Alcohol and Substance Use Studies (CAS)
This renowned center publishes a world-class scholarly journal and conducts cutting-edge research to address the complexity of addiction and its association with comorbid disorders. Its NIH-supported research programs aim to understand how mind, body and brain processes impact alcohol and other substance use behaviors, how health disparities unfold over the lifespan for those with alcohol and other drug use disorders, and how best to treat those with traumatic stress and substance use disorders in the community. CAS implements these evidence-based findings and advocates for appropriate treatments to address the need for affordable, accessible, effective, and equitable services for affected individuals and those in recovery.
Center for Psychological Services (CPS)
Founded in 1929 as the Psychological Clinic at Rutgers, CPS serves as the clinical hub of GSAPP. CPS is a state-of-the-art outpatient training center offering confidential mental health services to children, adolescents, and adults from Rutgers University and the surrounding communities. It includes a main clinic for assessments and therapy, and an array of specialty clinics serving individuals with varying disorders and difficulties. The center's graduate student clinicians are trained in the latest therapeutic techniques and modalities by faculty experts and are supervised by licensed psychologists. CPS emphasizes cultural sensitivity in its service delivery, ensuring that therapy respects clients' unique backgrounds and identities.
Center for Youth Social Emotional Wellness (CYSEW)
CYSEW is GSAPP’s newest center and a pioneer in the field of youth mental health. It is a cross-disciplinary, collaborative center that works to tackle mental health inequities among New Jersey’s young residents. By bringing together researchers, community and business leaders, and mental health providers from the fields of psychology, social work, education, and psychiatry, CYSEW develops comprehensive strategies to combat structural and systemic barriers that affect key mental health issues, ensuring more equitable access to mental health resources and support for children, adolescents, and young adults.
Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center (DDDC)
The DDDC is dedicated to providing support services to children on the autism spectrum and the adults surrounding them. The Douglass School Program serves children ages 3 to 21 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), using the evidence-based principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA). Additionally, the center’s Douglass Outreach Services offers consultation and training for families and professionals, delivering ABA-based services in schools, homes, and through evaluations. The DDDC employs and supervises Rutgers students from various disciplines, training the next generation of support professionals to enter and thrive in this in-demand field.
Rutgers Center for Adult Autism Services (RCAAS)
This center has four distinct yet cooperative units, all with a singular purpose - to provide high-quality support services to the underserved community of adults on the autism spectrum. Through their tireless advocacy, research, and innovation, the RCAAS works to enable adults on the autism spectrum to lead fulfilling and more independent lives. Staffed by experienced senior team members and trained Rutgers students, RCAAS provides vocational, academic, social, and clinical support to help individuals integrate into the university, local and state communities.
