Center Staff

Mary I. Armstrong, Ph.D.

Biography: Mary I. Armstrong, Ph.D. has over twenty-five years  experience in children’s behavioral health, public sector managed care, children’s health insurance, child welfare services, specializing in state and local government organizational structures, program development and evaluation, policy analysis, and consultation.

She currently is the Director of the Division of State and Local Support, Department of Child and Family Studies at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida. She is responsible for the administration of the Division of State and Local Support including the direction of evaluation and research activities, and specialized consultation, training, and technical assistance to public sector entities nationally and in Florida.

Current activities include a national study of financing strategies and structures that support effective systems of care, evaluation of child welfare privatization and IV-E waiver in Florida, out-of-home treatment alternatives,  and the role of informal supports for parents with children with serious mental health problems. For the past 5 years, she has been a member of the Advisory Committee and a faculty member for the Policy Academy on Developing Systems of Care for Children with Mental Health Needs and Their Families, sponsored by the National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health at Georgetown University. She is co-chair of the national Outcomes Roundtable for Children and Families and a member of the National Advisory Board of the Quality Improvement Center for the Privatization of Child Welfare Services. Formerly, Dr. Armstrong was Director of the Bureau of Children and Families at the New York State Office of Mental Health. In this role she played a leadership role in the development of a system of care for New York’s children with for children with serious emotional problems and their families. She is an active member of the National Association of Social Workers and has many publications in both professional journals and textbooks. 

Contact: Mary I. Armstrong , Ph.D.

News:

Fall Courses: Graduate Certificate Program Addresses the Growing Need for Improved Services in the Behavioral Health Field

CFS Faculty Contribute to Special Issue of the Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research Focusing on Transition to Adulthood

CFS Staff Among a Group of Experts Contributing to the National Child Welfare Training Institute

CFS's Dr. Mary Armstrong is Elected to Serve as Director at Large of the American Orthopsychiatric Association

The First Six Months: Initial Report Sets Baseline for Florida's IV-E Waiver Program

Key Publications On-Line:

King-Miller, T., Armstrong, M.I., Sowell, C., Jordan, N., Sharrock, P., Vargo, A., & Yampolskaya, S. (2008). Evaluation brief 1—Evaluation brief on the status and activities related to Florida’s IV-E waiver demonstration project: First 18 months. (Florida’s IV-E Waiver Demonstration Project—Evaluation Brief Series, 250-1). Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute.

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Vargo, A. C., Armstrong, M.I., Sowell, C., Jordan, N., King-Miller, T., Sharrock, P., & Yampolskaya, S. (2007). IV-E Waiver Demonstration Evaluation Semi-annual Progress Report 3 (SFY07-08). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Dept. of Child & Family Studies.

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Stroul, B., Pires, S.A., Armstrong, M. I., McCarthy, J., Pizzigati, K., & Wood, G.M., (2008). Effective financing strategies for systems of care: Examples from the field—A resource compendium for developing a comprehensive financing plan (RTC study 3: Financing structures and strategies to support effective systems of care, FMHI pub. # 235-02). Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health.

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Newman, C., Liberton, C., Kutash, K., & Friedman, R. (Eds.) (2008).Annual Research Conference Proceedings, A System of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base. Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Department of Child and Family Studies, The Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health.

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Armstrong, M., Vargo, A., Jordan, N., King-Miller, T., Sowell, C., Yampolskaya, S. (2007). Report to the Legislature: Evaluation of Community-Based Care Initiative Year 2006-2007. Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute: Tampa, Florida.

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Fixsen, A., & Armstrong, M.I. (2007). AHCA highlights policy brief 1: Using research to shape future directions of children’s managed mental health care. (AHCA series, 220-PB1). Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute.

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Vargo, A. C., Armstrong, M.I., Jordan, N., King-Miller, T., Sharrock, P., Sowell, C., & Yampolskaya, S. (2007). IV-E Waiver demonstration evaluation
semi-annual progress report 2 (SFY06-07). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Dept. of Child & Family Studies.

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Armstrong, M., Vargo, A. C., Jordan, N., King-Miller, T., Roggenbaum, S., Sowell, C. & Yampolskaya, S. (2007). Semi-annual progress report: IV-E Waiver demonstration evaluation. Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Dept. of Child & Family Studies.

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Armstong M.I., Blase, K., Caldwell, B., Holt, W., King-Miller, T., Kuppinger, A., Obrochta, C., Policella, D.N., & Wallace, F. (2006). Final report: Independent assessment of the New Jersey’s children’s behavioral health care system. Tampa, FL: The University of South Florida. Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute. (FMHI Publication #239)

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Evans, M. E., Armstrong, M. I., Beckstead, J. W., & Lee, J. (2006). Examining the impact of policy on collaboration in systems of care. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 16(4), 567-576.

 

Armstrong, M., Pires, S., McCarthy, J., Stroul, B., Wood, G., & Pizzigati, K. (2006). A self-assessment and planning guide: Developing a comprehensive financing plan. Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health.

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Armstrong, M. I., & Evans, M. E. (2006). Findings: Examining the impact of policy on collaboration in system of care. In C. Newman, C. Liberton, K. Kutash, & R.M. Friedman (Eds.), The 18th Annual Research Conference Proceedings, A System of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base (pp. 421-424). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health.

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Armstrong, M. (2006). Promising approaches in care management systems. In C. Newman, C. Liberton, K. Kutash, & R.M. Friedman (Eds.), The 18th Annual Research Conference Proceedings, A System of Care for Children's Mental Health: Expanding the Research Base (pp. 356-358). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health.

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Armstrong, M., Pires, S., Stroul, B, & Wood, G. (2005). Critical financing strategies with system-level outcomes, indicators, data sources, and data analysis plan. Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Dept. of Child and Family Studies, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health.

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Armstrong, M. I., (2005). Health care reform tracking project (HCRTP): Promising approaches for behavioral health services to children and adolescents and their families in managed care systems — 7: Care Management in public sector managed care systems. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (FMHI Publication #211-7)

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The Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (2005). Promising Approaches Series. Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental health Institute, Department of Child and Family Studies. 

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The Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (2005). Health Care Reform Tracking Project Reports to Date. Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental health Institute, Department of Child and Family Studies.

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Friedman, R.M., Best, K., Armstrong, M., Duchnowski, A., Evans, M., Hernandez, M., Hodges, S., & Kutash, K. (2004). Child mental health policy. In B.L. Levin, J. Petrila, & K. Hennessey (Eds.), Mental health services: A public health perspective, 2nd ed. (pp. 129-156). New York: Oxford University Press.

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Wood, G. M., (2004). Health care reform tracking project (HCRTP): Promising approaches for behavioral health services to children and adolescents and their families in managed care systems — 6: Family involvement in managed care systems. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (FMHI Publication #211-6)

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Stroul, B.A., Pires, S.A, & Armstrong, M.I. (2003). Health care reform tracking project: Using research to move forward: A consensus conference on publicly funded managed care for children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders and their families — September 29–30, 2003. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (FMHI Publication #215)

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Stroul, B. A., (2003). Health care reform tracking project (HCRTP): Promising approaches for behavioral health services to children and adolescents and their families in managed care systems — 5: Serving youth with serious and complex behavioral health needs in managed care systems. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (FMHI Publication #211-5)

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Armstrong, M. I., (2003). Health care reform tracking project (HCRTP): Promising approaches for behavioral health services to children and adolescents and their families in managed care systems — 4: Accountability and quality assurance in managed care systems. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (FMHI Publication #211-4)

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Hepburn, K. & McCarthy, J. (2003). Health care reform tracking project (HCRTP): Promising approaches for behavioral health services to children and adolescents and their families in managed care systems — 3: Making interagency initiatives work for the children and families in the child welfare system. Washington, DC: National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development. (Georgetown University Publication #211-3)

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McCarthy, J. & McCullough, C. (2003). Health care reform tracking project (HCRTP): Promising approaches for behavioral health services to children and adolescents and their families in managed care systems — 2: A view from the child welfare system. Washington, DC: National Technical Assistance Center for Children’s Mental Health, Georgetown University Center for Child and Human Development. (Georgetown University Publication #211-2)

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Stroul, B.A., Pires, S.A, & Armstrong, M.I. (2003). Health care reform tracking project: Tracking state managed care systems as they affect children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders and their families — 2003 State Survey. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (FMHI Publication #212-4)

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Evans, M. E., & Armstrong, M. I. (2002). What is case management? In B. J. Burns, & K. Hoagwood (Eds). Community treatment for youth: Evidence-based interventions for severe emotional and behavioral disorders. New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 39-68.

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Stroul, B., Pires, S., Armstrong, M. & Zaro, S. (2002). The impact of managed care on systems of care that serve children with serious emotional disturbances and their families. Children’s Services: Social Policy, Research and Practice, 5(1), 21-36.

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Pires, S.A (2002). Health care reform tracking project (HCRTP): Promising approaches for behavioral health services to children and adolescents and their families in managed care systems — 1: Managed care design & financing. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (FMHI Publication #211-1)

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Stroul, B.A., Pires, S.A, & Armstrong, M.I. (2001). Health care reform tracking project: Tracking state health care reforms as they affect children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders and their families — 2000 State Survey. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (New FMHI Publication #212-3, formerly FMHI Publication #198)

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Pires, S.A., Stroul, B.A., & Armstrong, M.I. (2000). Health care reform tracking project: Tracking state health care reforms as they affect children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders and their families — 1999 Impact Analysis. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (New FMHI Publication #213-2, formerly FMHI Publication #183)

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Pires, S.A., Armstrong, M.I., & Stroul, B.A. (1999). Health care reform tracking project: Tracking state health care reforms as they affect children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders and their families — 1997/98 State Survey. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (New FMHI Publication #212-2, formerly FMHI Publication #175)

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Stroul, B.A., Pires, S.A., & Armstrong, M.I. (1998). Health care reform tracking project: Tracking state health care reforms as they affect children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders and their families — 1997 Impact Analysis. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (New FMHI Publication #213-1, formerly FMHI Publication #167) No PDF available.

 

Pires, S.A., Stroul, B.A., Roebuck, L., Friedman, R.M., & Chambers, K.L. (1996). Health care reform tracking project: Tracking state health care reforms as they affect children and adolescents with behavioral health disorders and their families — 1995 State Survey. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (New FMHI Publication #212-1, formerly FMHI Publication #212) No PDF available, out of print.