Moore Place researcher honored by alma mater

Social work professor Lori Thomas recently was recognized as one of the top young alumni of Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).

Thomas is a member of VCU’s 2015 “10 Under 10” class. The honor recognizes alumni who received their first VCU degree in the last 10 years and who have achieved professional success, made important contributions to their community and supported the university.

The recognition is humbling, said Thomas, but “I know my work isn’t close to done. The award has energized me to continue my scholarship and community work in homelessness.”

Thomas’s work on chronic homelessness is extensive. Her new study on a Charlotte initiative to deal with the issue made national news. The Moore Place program provides apartments to people who have been on the street for long periods and who have a disabling condition. Moore Place also keeps nurses and social workers on staff to help tenants.

Through her research, Thomas found the initiative saves millions of dollars. Tenants visited emergency rooms almost 650 fewer times during the two years since moving in, compared to the two years prior, according to the study.

It is now likely the Thomas-led study will play a key role in debates about the expansion of similar programs nationwide.

Thomas said leaders at the UNC Charlotte College of Health and Human Services have encouraged her to pursue community-based research and helped her develop relationships with homeless services organizations.

It’s this sort of implicit and explicit encouragement that Thomas said has allowed her to continue the work she started in Richmond at VCU.

Thomas has taught social work practice and social welfare policy at UNC Charlotte. She is a member of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Coalition for Housing by the Mecklenburg County Board of County Commissioners. Currently, she is continuing work on a $100,000 research grant that focuses on the effects of homelessness on older adults.

Photo: Thomas is congratulated by Gordon McDougall, associate vice president for alumni relations at VCU.