As the federal funding environment grows increasingly competitive, CIR and other researchers at the USC School of Social Work have begun exploring previously overlooked forms of support.  "Our center's global leadership and engagement is made possible because of the foundations, the corporations, and the donors who believe in our mission and allow us to do our work without traditional project boundaries." Read more

The USC School of Social Work will benefit from the research and expertise of the Israeli Defense Forces mental health department. Eyal Fruchter, a colonel and former head of the Mental Health Division in the Israeli Medical Corps, has joined the school as a visiting scholar, focusing his yearlong tenure on researching PTSD, resiliency and training for mental health officers. Read more

Since graduating from the University of Southern California, Nathan Graeser, MSW '13, has been actively involved in Los Angeles, making sure the needs of veterans are met, especially their spiritual needs. Graeser, a chaplain with the Army National Guard, said involving faith communities in the network of support services for returning veterans was logical. "A veteran is much more likely to go to a religious person to work out their problems." Read more

For over a decade, about 1 percent of the nation's population has volunteered for the military and served in the nation's longest-running wars. But many more have experienced military culture from another lens--as parent, spouse, child, friend and community. To help illustrate the many facets of military culture, CIR has launched a photo contest, running through Oct. 15. Enter for a chance to win $500 grand prize. Learn more