Center for Youth, Family, and Community Partnerships celebrates 25 years

Posted on October 21, 2021

CYFCP 25th Anniversary logo
CYFCP 25th Anniversary logo graphic

In 1996, UNC Greensboro’s then-Provost, Edward Uprichard, held a competition to establish a new university-based research center. Twenty-five years later, a center that was launched as a result of that competition is celebrating its quarter-century anniversary.

Originally named the Center for Social Research and renamed in 2004, the UNCG Center for Youth, Family, and Community Partnership (CYFCP) has worked consistently since its establishment to encourage interdisciplinary research and to leverage the resources of the University to address social concerns in the community.

Throughout its 25-year history, the CYFCP has worked closely with community partners at the local, state, and national level to make an impact in the lives of children, youth, young adults, and families. The Center’s current programs demonstrate the extensive network of nonprofit, educational, and government agencies that its staff support through training, technical assistance, evaluation, and direct services. 

The CYFCP’s Bringing Out the Best program provides early intervention services to children aged five and under who are experiencing social-emotional or behavioral challenges by working closely with families and the children’s early care and education teachers. Three other current programs (the NC High Fidelity Wraparound Training Program, the Juvenile Justice and Behavioral Health Initiative, and Healthy Transitions) all work closely with the NC Department of Health and Human Services Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services and service providers across the State to help bridge gaps across systems and ensure that youth and family voice and choice inform services related to behavioral health, juvenile justice, and child welfare. 

“The CYFCP’s current programs are the latest evolution in our ongoing collaboration with the community to translate research into policy and practices that impact the lives of North Carolinians,” said Dr. Terri Shelton, vice chancellor for research and engagement and former CYFCP director.

Since the CYFCP was founded in 1996, the center has brought in 340 grants and contracts from more than 100 different sponsors, totaling over $50 million in grant and contract funding. The CYFCP’s work is carried out by an interdisciplinary team that includes expertise in counseling, social work, criminal justice, and early childhood development. The CYFCP staff also work closely with other faculty and researchers to help further connect UNCG experts with various community partners.

“The work of the CYFCP is a reflection of UNCG’s long-standing commitment to being an engaged citizen in our community,” said CYFCP Director Christine Murray. “It’s often a challenge to bridge the gaps between university research and practice in the community. We are proud to continue to work so closely with a diverse network of community partners to make an impact on our local community and statewide.”

To learn more about the CYFCP, visit cyfcp.uncg.edu.

Story by Christine Murray, UNCG Center for Youth, Family, and Community Partnership

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