Dr. Rashida Crutchfield is an associate professor in the School of Social Work at California State University, Long Beach. Dr. Crutchfield was commissioned to lead research on by California State University Office of the Chancellor study on food and housing security. This systemwide study on basic needs has garnered statewide and national attention. She has provided input on state policy and provides support and advice to staff, faculty, and administrators across the state and nation who wish to replicate and expand resources for basic needs insecure students.
Dr. Crutchfield was a part of the leadership team that developed the Applied Social Work Projects – a culminating course for master students in the CSULB School of Social Work. This includes an expansive community assessment of a local area and requires that students have an integrative process in which they develop, implement, and evaluation a research based collaborative partnership project in response to a social problem identified by the students and community stakeholders.
Dr. Crutchfield is an advocate committed to amplifying the voices of marginalized communities through research and service. Prior to her work at CSULB, she served on the staff of Covenant House California, a shelter for 18-to-24-year-olds experiencing homelessness. This experience gave her insight into practice, building rapport with and intervention for this population. Her areas of practice and research focus on youth homelessness, access to higher education, and social work community practice.
Dr. Crutchfield was named Faculty of the Year by the Cal State Student Association in 2018. She has also authored or co-authored research articles on collegiate homelessness and most recently co-authored, Homelessness and Housing Insecurity in Higher Education: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Research, Policy, and Practice. This monograph is used as a resource for colleges and universities across the country.
