The Grand Challenges for Social Work Initiative (GCSWI), which is spearheaded by the American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare (AASWSW), represents a major endeavor for the entire field of social work. GCSWI calls for bold innovation and collective action powered by proven and evolving scientific interventions to address critical social issues facing society. The purpose of GCSWI was modeled after the National Academy of Engineering, which aimed to identify some of the most persistent engineering problems of the day and then put the attentions, energies, and funding of the entire field to work on them for a decade. The GCSWI does the same for social issues, tackling problems such as homelessness, social isolation, mass incarceration, family violence, and economic inequality.Grand Challenges for Social Work and Society is an edited book that will present the foundations of the GCSWI, laying out the start of the initiative and providing summaries of each of the twelve challenges. The 12 main chapters that form the core of the book, one on each of the dozen Grand Challenges, are written by the primary research teams who are driving each GC project.

GRAND CHALLENGES FOR SOCIAL WORK and 2017 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEEChapter 1: Grand Challenges for Social Work and SocietyJames Lubben, Richard P. Barth, Rowena Fong, Marilyn Flynn, Michael Sherraden, and Edwina UeharaChapter 2: Grand Challenge # 1: Ensure Healthy Development for All YouthJeffrey M. Jenson and J. David HawkinsChapter 3: Grand Challenge #2: Close the Health GapMichael S. Spencer, Karina L. Walters, Heidi L. Allen, Christina M. Andrews, Audrey Begun, Teri Browne, John Clapp, Diana DiNitto, Peter Maramaldi, Darrell Wheeler, Brad Zebrack, and Edwina UeharaChapter 4: Grand Challenge #3: Stop Family ViolenceRichard P. Barth and Rebecca J. MacyChapter 5: Grand Challenge #4: Advance Long and Productive LivesNancy Morrow-Howell, Ernest Gonzales, Jacquelyn B. James, Christina Matz-Costa, and Michelle PutnamChapter 6: Grand Challenge #5: Eradicate Social IsolationJames Lubben, Elizabeth Tracy, Sandra Edmonds Crewe, Erika L. Sabbath, Melanie Gironda, Carrie Johnson, Jooyoung Kong, Michelle R. Munson, and Suzanne BrowneChapter 7: Grand Challenge #6: End HomelessnessDeborah K. Padgett and Benjamin F. HenwoodChapter 8: Grand Challenge # 7: Create Social Responses to a Changing EnvironmentSusan P. Kemp, Lawrence A. Palinkas, and Lisa Reyes MasonChapter 9: Grand Challenge # 8: Harness Technology for Social GoodStephanie C. Berzin and Claudia J. CoultonChapter 10: Grand Challenge # 9: Promote Smart DecarcerationMatthew W. Epperson, Carrie Pettus-Davis, Annie Grier, and Leon SawhChapter 11: Grand Challenge # 10: Reduce Extreme Economic InequalityJulia Henly, Laura Lein, Jennifer Romich, Trina Shanks, Michael Sherraden, Amanda Tillotson, and Raven JonesChapter 12: Grand Challenge #11: Build Financial Capability For AllJin Huang, Margaret S. Sherraden, Mathieu Despard, David Rothwell, Terri Friedline, Joanna Doran, Karen A. Zurlo, Julie Birkenmaier, Christine Callahan, and Robin McKinneyChapter 13: Grand Challenge # 12: Achieve Equal Opportunity and JusticeRocio Calvo, Martell Teasley, Jeremy Goldbach, Ruth McRoy, and Yolanda PadillaChapter 14: ConclusionRichard P. Barth, Rowena Fong, James Lubben, and Sarah Christa Butts