When it comes to strong and enduring ties to the local community, few institutions can match Suffolk’s Center for Public Management. The Center has been working with local and regional public agencies for over 30 years, providing training, educational opportunities and research for a broad range of public service agencies.

Initially founded in 1973 to operate graduate and undergraduate programs in public administration, the Center has since passed its main academic mission to the Public Administration Department and turned its attention to research and community public service.

On the continuing education front, the Center offers certificate programs with the Latin American Institute, The Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers, The Massachusetts Human Services Providers Council, The Massachusetts Home and Health Association, and the Massachusetts Alliance of Portuguese Speakers. These pre-graduate credited courses are often the launch pad to careers in public service for participants.

Other ongoing efforts at the Center include: a 10-year partnership with the Boston Public Health Commission Bureau to assess the needs of people living with HIV in Massachusetts; providing technical assistance to the Massachusetts Department of Social Services; a partnership with the Federal Office of Personnel Management in which the Center provides training to federal, state and local government employees in New England; and contracts with the Human Services Research Institute and the MICH/MASS project to evaluate community and mental health services.

The Center for Public Management has been working for a decade with the Boston Public Health Commission to assess the needs of people living with HIV in Massachusetts. It has collected and analyzed health and quality of life data at intake and every six months for over 7000 clients. For the past 42 months, the Center has been following a cohort group of 3000 and will use the information to learn what HIV/AIDS field services are most effective. The data also has wide applicability to other human services fields. It is believed to be the most comprehensive study of its kind in the nation.