For the third year in a row, an RRI researcher has won one of the Civic Engagement Awards for Excellence. In 2007, Janet Walker received the award.
In 2008, it was the RRI as a department.

This year, we're very pleased to announce that the Civic Engagement Award
for Excellence in Community Based Research has been awarded to:

Barbara Friesen and community partners Terry Cross, ED of NICWA and Nichole Maher, ED of NAYA, to honor their work on the RTC Practice-Based Evidence Project. The awards were presented on Wednesday May 20th, 2009 from 3-5pm on the PSU campus, in Smith Memorial Union 228.
The RRI is also thrilled to announce that Beckie Child has been selected to receive the President's Award for Outstanding Community Engagement.
Her achievements were celebrated at a noon luncheon with President Wiewel on Wednesday, June 3, in the Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom on the PSU campus.

Dec 2008

In the December issue of Network News, Eileen Brennan and Julie Rosenzweig of Portland State University discuss working parents caring for children with mental health disorders.

December 2008 issue - Work-Life Integration and Children's Mental Health

Oct 2008

Empowerment Evaluation Workshop - October, 2008
RRI Crime Study in the news
The RRI recently completed a study investigating the link between drug abuse and crime through the agency of Central City Concern. The study was cited in a recent news report.

News Report: KGW-TV - October 13, 2008

RRI Central City Concern Project

Central City Concern site

Oct 2008	Announcing New Leadership for RRI Dean Kristine Nelson has announced that Laurie Powers has been named Director, and Heidi Herinckx has been named Assistant Director, of the Regional Research Institute for Human Services. Laurie is an internationally recognized scholar in self-determination research with youth, adults and families, focusing in areas such transition to adulthood, interpersonal violence, leadership development, peer support, and design of individualized, person-directed services. Since joining the RRI in 1994, Heidi has partnered with numerous community agencies and organizations in evaluating new models and programs in addictions, mental health, supported employment, homelessness, alternatives to incarceration and the effectiveness of Mental Health Courts. Laurie and Heidi are committed to working with stakeholders and constituents in using research and evaluation tools to make meaningful improvements in supports and services.





	Laurie Powers, Director	Heidi Herinckx, Assistant Director

July 2008	Miracles Take Time - July 2008 Oregonian featuring Herman Bryant. Herman has been a Research Assistant at RRI since 2000 and is currently working on the evaluations of the Clark County YORP Project and Community Partners for Reinvestment.

May 2008	The RRI wins another award! The 2008 Civic Engagement Award from the Center for Academic Excellence at PSU Purpose: To showcase and celebrate the civic engagement efforts of PSU faculty, departmental and programmatic units, and community-based partners, PSU’s Center for Academic Excellence recognizes exemplary civic engagement eff orts. These awards acknowledge the importance of civic engagement in all facets of university life. The Regional Research Institute is recognized for making engagement with community a central aspect of its departmental aggregate approach to student learning and innovative scholarship. The RRI achieved this by: using community-based learning to facilitate students’ integration of community work and reflection into their academic study; encouraging and rewarding the scholarship of engagement where community-based action, or applied research is pursued; providing support to key department/programmatic initiatives that engage the community in efforts to fulfill the University’s mission. Award: Excellence in Departmental Civic Engagement Department: Regional Research Institute for Human Services