The Action Research on Community Health Equity and Stigma (ARCHES) Lab was founded in 2017 by Dr. Jerel Calzo, a professor at San Diego State University. Housed within the Institute of Behavioral and Community Health (IBACH) at San Diego State University Research Foundation, ARCHES is dedicated to advancing health equity and social justice for historically underserved communities.
Through research, education, and service, we collaborate with local nonprofits, community organizations, and academic partners to develop sustainable solutions for today’s complex public health challenges. Our community-engaged and community-informed approach has driven impactful research in substance use, homelessness and housing insecurity, youth development, mental health, and program evaluation.
We are especially proud of our work supporting the LGBTQIA+ community, adolescents, and individuals experiencing housing insecurity, helping to create meaningful change through evidence-based strategies. Additionally, ARCHES serves as a training ground for the next generation of public health professionals, providing San Diego State University student research assistants with invaluable hands-on experience in the field, tailored to their program (undergraduate, graduate, predoctoral).