Current News

Emeritus Status Granted to Professor Krista Kutash

Congratulations to Dr. Krista Kutash for being granted the status of Professor Emeritus upon her retirement in February 2012.

Promoting Healthy Social and Emotional Development in Children and Youth: USF President Judy Genshaft Highlights Work of RTC

Dr. Genshaft provides Guest Perspective for "Solutions for Our Future" and profiles the RTC role in the national evaluation of the Children’s Mental Health Initiative of the U.S. Center for Mental Health Services, an important effort to improve access to high quality services nationally.

Special Issue on Children's Mental Health Policy Guest Edited by CFS's Mario Hernandez

In March, the Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders released a special issue on children's mental health policy. Guest edited by Department of Child and Family Studies' faculty member Mario Hernandez, this issue addresses the impact of values and principles inherent in the systems of care (SOC) approach on formation of national child mental health policy.

Friedman Key Speaker for the Collaborations in Children's Mental Health Systems of Care

Department of Child and Family Studies Chair and Professor Robert Friedman, PhD, was a key speaker at a workshop Feb. 7 by the Collaborations in Children's Mental Health Systems of Care at the Park Plaza/Westshore Hotel in Tampa.

USF Professor Dr. Robert Friedman Addresses President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health

On April 29, 2002, President Bush followed through with his pledge to support the 54 million Americans with mental and physical disabilities, establishing the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health. With a goal of advising the President on the United States mental health service delivery system, the Commission will meet monthly to provide recommendations and improvements that will enable adults with serious mental illnesses and children with serious emotional disturbances to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities.

CFS Staff Ask: What Makes Children's Mental Health Services Successful?

Under the direction of Drs. Mario Hernandez and Sharon Hodges at the Department of Child and Family Studies, the Community-Based Theories of Change Study has recently completed Phase I, which involved conducting case studies at program-and system-level sites, gathering information on how organizations conceptualize, operationalize and implement community-based service policies, and how those organizations transfer policy agendas across stakeholders in local organizations.

Sept 14 -- CFS Chair Robert Friedman on Children And Mental Health: Tampa Tribune Op-Ed

In recent days, in connection with the anniversary of the tragic events of Sept. 11, considerable attention has been devoted to the emotional needs of children. This is good, important and, one hopes, has been helpful to many children in our community and around the world. The reality, however, is that the social and emotional needs of our children have been neglected for many years in this country, creating a serious situation for many children, their families and our communities.

New Reports Profile Strategies That Deal with Safety in the Schools

In an effort to make schools safer and help protect students from violent behavior and drug & alcohol use, the Clinton Administration allocated $100 million in grants to 54 communities. The goal of the Safe Schools/Healthy Students Initiative (SS/HSI) is to link school systems with community-based services and prevention activities into one community-wide approach to violence prevention and healthy child development.

Creating Change and Keeping it Real: Report Reveals how Excellent Child-serving Organizations Carry out Their Goals

Community-Based Theories of Change is a national study funded by the federal Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS-SAMHSA) and National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that is designed to address how human service organizations carry out their mission and goals, how they transfer their policy agendas across stakeholders, and how they sustain their service strategies over time. This report summarizes the cross-site findings of Community-Based Theories of Change and presents lessons learned across the three participating sites in 2002.

Promising Approaches Series Provides Resources for States and Communities as They Refine Managed-Care Systems to Better Serve Children and Families

Drawing on the Health Care Reform Tracking Project (HCRTP) findings to date, a series of papers highlights relevant issues and approaches that have surfaced through the HCRTP's all-state surveys and in-depth impact analyses in a smaller sample of 18 states.

Nearly 700 Attend 21st RTC Conference on Children's Mental Health

For two decades, the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health has hosted a research conference to facilitate the exchange of ideas for improving service systems for children with serious emotional and behavioral disturbances and their families.

Call for Papers Announced for the 22nd Annual Research Conference Scheduled March 1-4, 2009

You are invited to add your knowledge and experience to the research base for systems of care serving children with mental health challenges and their families.

RTC Co-Director Dr. Krista Kutash Contributes to Newest Practice Guide from What Works Clearinghouse

Designed for elementary school educators and school- and district-level administrators, Reducing Behavior Problems in the Elementary School Classroom offers prevention, implementation, and schoolwide strategies that can be used to reduce problematic behavior that interferes with the ability of students to attend to and engage fully in instructional activities.