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Welcome to the Institute for Family and Social Responsibility

The Institute for Family and Social Responsibility is a joint effort of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs and the School of Social Work at Indiana University. The Institute's mission is to bring together the resources of citizens, governments, communities and Indiana University to better the lives of children and families. Ongoing research projects examine the impacts of welfare reforms, the adequacy of child support guidelines, community responses to the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families legislation, performance contracting for intensive family preservation services, and AIDS education for incarcerated youth. The Institute serves as the National Child Support Enforcement Research Clearinghouse. It also administers a university wide competitive student internship program in collaboration with the Indiana Family Social Services Administration.

Brief History

In 1994, Indiana University's President Myles Brand convened a large group of Indiana University faculty, administrators, staff, and students to identify the strategic directions in which the University should move in the upcoming decades. This strategic plan considered our current fiscally conservative political environment, projected demographic and economic changes in our nation, and increased demands for accountability in the public sector. This collaboration led to the Strategic Directions Initiative (SDI) which outlined a new vision for the University by strengthening existing partnerships and creating new partnerships with government and nonprofit agencies; reinforcing the ties among Indiana University's eight campuses, and facilitating interdisciplinary research and learning. The SDI charter was backed with $20 million of state funds.

The SDI proposal to establish the Institute for Family and Social Responsibility (FASR) was a joint venture of the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, the School of Social Work, and the Office of Vice President for Public Affairs and Government Relations. Of the 250 proposals submitted in the Round-I SDI competition, the proposal to implement the FASR Institute was ranked number one. Formally initiated in 1996, approximately sixty Indiana University faculty members are now FASR Affiliates, who have agreed to collaborate on joint research and outreach ventures with government and nonprofit social service agencies. The FASR Faculty Affiliates are located on Indiana University's eight campuses.

Activities of the FASR Institute

The Institute for Family and Social Responsibility was established in 1996 and has received a number of prestigious competitive grants.  The FASR Institute received its initial funding through a competitive process within the Indiana University system and received additional operating support in the second round of this competitive process.  Some current and recently completed activities in the Institute are listed below: 

  A 25-month contract with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration to develop, implement and rigorously evaluate an automated method of disbursing child support using Hoosier Works debit cards, already used by the State for the distribution of Food Stamps and TANF (FS/TANF) benefits. Click here to view the Electronic Disbursement of Indiana's Child Support report.

  A five year contract with the National Child Support Enforcement Association to serve as the research clearinghouse for information on child support enforcement by developing and maintaining a web site linking researchers to relevant policy literature, other databases and additional web pages.

  Contract with Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration, the Joyce Foundation, and the Indiana Township Association to determine the impact of Indiana's welfare reforms on the demand and use of local community social services, including the township trustees.

  Contract with the Children's Bureau of Indianapolis to evaluate the neighborhood Alliance for Child Safety, an early intervention child abuse prevention program.

  Contract with Indiana's Family and Social Services Administration to document the outcomes for the Restoring Fatherhood Initiative programs.

  Contract with the Indiana State Board of Health to develop an HIV/STD prevention education program for youth incarcerated in the Bloomington juvenile Treatment Facility.

  Focus group sessions on performance contracting among private sector providers of child welfare services for the Marion County Superior Courts, Juvenile Division.

  The FASR Institute meets bi-annually with the Advisory Board.  This board helps to identify pressing social policy issues where the Institute may be able to make significant research and service contributions.