The first Centripetal Luncheon for the fall semester will feature David Patterson, presenting “The Homeless Among Us: Technology To Know and Aid Our Neighbors,” noon Wednesday, Sept. 30, in the University Center Executive Dining Room.
Patterson will discuss the role of Knoxville’s Homeless Management Information System (KnoxHMIS) in creating a community-wide, Internet-based system to connect homeless service providers in order to facilitate and coordinate the delivery of care to the homeless. He will present findings from KnoxHMIS data describing the population of homeless individuals and families in this community, where they come from, how they become homeless, and what is being done to return them to stable housing.
Patterson is a professor of social work in UT’s College of Social Work and former president of the UT Knoxville Faculty Senate. He has taught graduate classes over the past 19 years in forensic social work, substance abuse treatment, group psychotherapy, research, and applied information technology. He is the principle investigator and director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded Knoxville Homeless Management Information System (KnoxHMIS), which is now in its sixth year of operation.
The cost for lunch, which begins at noon, is $8, and is payable at the door by check or cash (in the exact amount). Cancellation of a reservation requires 72 hours’ notice.
For more info on the Centripetals program, call the University Studies Program office at 974-8177 or visit their Web site at http://web.utk.edu/~unistudy/.