Social Work and Public Safety Program

Serving vulnerable populations through support, education, training, policy and services to the community.

The Social Work and Public Safety Program at USC is a first-of-its-kind initiative and capacity-building partnership. It helps law enforcement and public safety organizations address social issues, strengthen relationships, and enhance community engagement and cooperation.

Established in 2015, it is now in its tenth year of providing campus and online Master of Social Work (MSW) students with practicum placements within metropolitan police departments and community public safety organizations.

For more information, contact
Rosemary Alamo at ralamo@usc.edu
Rick Ornelas at ricardoo@usc.edu

Social Work and Public Safety Collaborative

Bringing Social Work Skills to Law Enforcement and Public Safety

Associate Professors of Social Work Practicum Education Rosemary Alamo and Rick Ornelas are providing a working partnership and professional development pipeline between social work, local law enforcement agencies, public safety and community based organizations.

Agency Partnerships

Agency partnerships provide placement opportunities, oversight and implementation of training and best practices. Our current partnerships include: Casa de la Familia, Chaffey Community College Police Department, Gardena Police Department, Los Angeles Police Department, Santa Monica Police Department, USC Department of Public Safety.

Our Services

Services are customized based on the needs identified by each respective agency. MSW students are provided with opportunities to practice at the micro, mezzo and macro levels, engaging in approximately 150 micro-macro social work activities, including: individual, family and group counseling, parenting classes, crisis intervention, trauma-informed practice, case management and needs assessment.