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Additional gift from the Henson family positions center for impactful research, community engagement and hands-on learning opportunities
ATLANTA—Since its founding in 2024 with a lead gift from the Henson family, the Georgia State University Center on Health and Homelessness has brought faculty, students and community partners together to apply research-based knowledge to the prevention of homelessness and its health consequences.
With an additional gift from the Henson family, the center is poised to extend the reach of its research and community partnerships while also training the next generation of leaders.
“The Center on Health and Homelessness has shown that meaningful change is possible when faculty, students and community members come together to address urgent public health challenges,” said Rodney Lyn, Dean of the School of Public Health. “I’m deeply grateful to the Henson family for their continued support of the center and its vital work.”
Community partners Sue Sullivan and Joy Monroe participated in a panel discussion with CHH co-leads April Ballard and Shannon Self-Brown during the School of Public Health’s 2026 Kreuter Katz Symposium.
Research with Real-World Impact
The Center on Health and Homelessness has led several projects whose findings have informed policy decisions that seek to reduce homelessness and its health impacts. In DeKalb County, the center conducted a first-of-its kind assessment that found that extended-stay hotels and budget motels are serving as shelters of last resort for more than 4,600 people in that county alone. The report—funded by DeKalb County and conducted in partnership with Joy Monroe, founder and CEO of the nonprofit Single Parents Alliance and Resource Center, and family advocate Sue Sullivan—informed the county’s decision to house 60 families in Park 500, a transitional housing development.
In partnership with the nonprofit Central Outreach and Advocacy Center, data from a Center on Health and Homelessness study that audited publicly accessible restrooms in Atlanta was shared with city leaders, who later announced the installation of 12 Throne Labs public restrooms ahead of the World Cup.
“Research conducted by the Center on Health and Homelessness is grounded in community needs and focused on generating actionable data and insights,” said Assistant Professor April Ballard, who co-leads the center. “We work closely with community partners to make sure our findings inform programs, policies and practices that make a difference in people’s lives.”
A Vision for the Future
Based on the results of a thorough assessment of community resources and needs, the center has strategically focused its work on homelessness prevention, housing stability and populations excluded from traditional data systems.
The center is currently working to expand its research and partnerships while also creating additional opportunities for students to apply a public health lens to the intersection of health and homelessness. Current and upcoming projects include identifying high-impact but underutilized homelessness prevention tools, assessing which housing models and supports most successfully keep youth and families housed, and translating research-based knowledge into issue-specific briefs, presentations and implementation guidance.
“Homelessness threatens the health and well-being of people here in Atlanta and beyond,” said Distinguished University Professor Shannon Self-Brown, who co-leads the center. “Working with community members and organizations, we’re committed to a future in which every person is healthy and has a safe and stable place to call home.”