Center Staff

Robert Friedman, Ph.D.

Biography:

Dr. Friedman is Professor at the University of South Florida's Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute and Director of the Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health. As one of two such centers in the U.S., the Research and Training Center was initiated in 1984 to address the need for improved services and outcomes for children with serious emotional/behavioral disabilities and their families. Dr. Friedman has served as director since the center’s initiation, as well as Department Chair within the Institute's Department of Child & Family Studies from 1984 - 2006. He also served as FMHI Interim Dean from August 2006 - August 2007.

Dr. Friedman is a clinical psychologist who received his B.A. from Brooklyn College, and his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Florida State University. He is a researcher, author, policy analyst, and consultant on issues such as the development and evaluation of community-based systems of care, prevalence of emotional disorders in children, new developments in service delivery, and the relationship between the mental health system and other systems. Dr. Friedman is co-author with Beth Stroul of "A System of Care for Children and Youth with Severe Emotional Disturbances," a monograph on systems of care which has been widely used across the country to plan service delivery systems.

He is also co-editor of a Paul H. Brookes book series on systems of care, co-editor of several special journals on children's mental health, co-editor of a book entitled, "Advocacy on Behalf of Children with Serious Emotional Problems", and Chair of the Alliance for the Safe, Therapeutic, and Appropriate Use of Residential Treatment.

Dr. Friedman has served on many national committees including the Planning Board for the Surgeon General's Report on Mental Health, has chaired task forces and review panels for the federal government, and has provided Congressional testimony on several occasions. He served as Principal Author for the Children's Workgroup report of the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse in 2000, gave expert testimony to the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health in 2002, and helped author the Children's Sub-Committee report of the Commission. Dr. Friedman is a Fellow of the Division of Children, Youth, and Families of the American Psychological Association, and received the Nicholas Hobbs award from this division in 2005 for contributions to policy and advocacy for children.

Contact: Robert Friedman , Ph.D.

News:

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

A Look at Private Residential Treatment Facilities for Youth

Department Chair Robert Friedman Fills Interim Dean Position

CFS Helps Initiate Alliance For Youth In Unregulated, Private Residential Treatment Programs

CFS Chair Robert Friedman Receives Award for Leadership in Child Advocacy and Policy

Key Publications On-Line:

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.

 View a pdf

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.

 View a pdf

Friedman, R. M. (2006). A model for implementing effective systems 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. 3-9). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health.

 View a pdf

MacKinnon-Lewis, C., Morris, J., Dodge, J., & Friedman, R. M. (2006). Building the workforce plan for children's mental health. 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. 459-461). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Heatlh.

 View a pdf

MacKinnon-Lewis, C., Hanson, A., Ferreira, K., Friedman, R. M., Goldman, S., & Pettijohn, P. (2006). Workforce development and emerging technology in children's mental health. 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. 463-466). Tampa: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health.

 View a pdf

Newman, C., Liberton, C., Kutash, K., & Friedman, R. (2006). 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.

 View a pdf

Kutash, K., Duchnowski, A. J., & Friedman, R. M. (2005). The system of care twenty years later. In M. H. Epstein, K. Kutash, & A. J. Duchnowski (Eds.), Outcomes for children with emotional and behavioral disorders and their families: Program and evaluation best practices, 2nd ed. (pp. 3-22). Austin, TX: Pro-Ed.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. (2005). Enhancing the influence of psychologists on public policy: Will more of the same do it? Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health. Unpublished manuscript.

 View a pdf

Friedman, R. (2005). Transformation work group report. Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Department of Child and Family Studies. Unpublished manuscript.

 View a pdf

Fixsen, D. L., Naoom, S. F., Blase, K. A., Friedman, R. M., & Wallace, F. (2005). Implementation research: A synthesis of the literature. Tampa, FL: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The National Implementation Research Network.

 View a pdf

The Research & Training Center for Children’s Mental Health. (2005). Effective systems of care: A summary of implementation factors. Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, Department of Child and Family Studies. Unpublished document.

 View a pdf

Friedman, R., & Drews, D. (2005). Evidence based practices, systems of care, & individualized care. 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. Unpublished manuscript.

 View a pdf

Huang, L, Stroul, B, Friedman, R, Mrazek, P, Friesen, B, & Pires, S (2005). Transforming mental health care for children and their families. American Psychologist, 60(6), 615-627.

  Request a copy

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.

  Request a copy

Behar, L., Friedman, R., & Lynn, N. (n.d.) A study of service innovations that enhance systems of care: Expanding the array of services using networks of providers in community based integrated systems of care. Tampa, Florida: University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, The Research and Training Center for Children's Mental Health. Unpublished manuscript.

 View a pdf

Friedman, R. M. (2003). Improving outcomes for students through the application of a public health model to school psychology: A commentary. Journal of School Psychology, 41, 69-75.

  Request a copy

Duchnowski, A. J. Kutash, K. & Friedman, R. M. (2002). Community-based interventions in a system of care and outcomes framework. 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.16-37

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M. & Hernandez, M. (2002). The national evaluation of the comprehensive community mental health services program for children and their families program. A commentary. Children’s Services: Social Policy, Research, and Practice, 5(1), 67-74.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M. (2002). Child and adolescent mental health: Recommendations for Improvement by State Mental Health Commissions. Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health, Department of Child and Family Studies, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL: Author.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M. (2002). A conceptual framework for developing and implementing effective policy in children’s mental health. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 11(1), 11-18.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. (2002). Child and adolescent mental health: Recommendations for improvement by state mental health commissions. 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.

 View a pdf

Holden, E. W., R. M. Friedman, & R. L. Santiago (2001). Overview of the national evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program [Special Issue]. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 9(1), 4-12.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M. (2001) The practice of psychology with children, adolescents, and their families: A look to the future. In J. N. Hughes, A. M. La Greca, & J. C. Conoley, (Eds.) Handbook of Psychological Services for Children and Adolescents. (pp. 3-22). New York: Oxford University Press.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. (1999). A conceptual framework for developing and implementing effective policy in children's mental health. 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.

 View a pdf

Stroul, B. A., Pires, S. A., Roebuck, L., Friedman, R. M., Barrett, B., Chambers, K. L., & Kershaw, M. A. (1997). State health care reforms: How they affect children and adolescents with emotional disorders and their families. Journal of Mental Health Administration, 24(4), 386-399.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M. (1997). Services and service delivery systems for children with serious emotional disorders: Issues in assessing effectiveness. In C. T. Nixon and D. A. Northup (Eds.), Evaluating mental health services: How do programs for children “work” in the real world? (pp. 16-44). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

  Request a copy

Greenbaum, P. E., Dedrick, R. F., Friedman, R. M., Kutash, K., Brown, E. C., Lardieri, S. P., & Pugh, A. (1996). National Adolescent and Child Treatment Study (NACTS): Outcomes for children with serious emotional and behavioral disturbance. Journal of Emotional and Behavioral Disorders, 4(3), 130-146.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M., Katz-Leavy, J. W., Manderscheid, R., & Sondheimer, D. (1996). Prevalence of Serious Emotional Disturbance in Children and Adolescents. In R. Manderscheid and M. Sonnenschein (Eds.) Mental Health, United States: 1996 (pp. 71-89). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, DHHS Publication Number (SMA)96-3098.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M. (1996). The Fort Bragg study: What can we conclude? Journal of Child and Family Studies, 5(2), 161-168.

  Request a copy

Friedman, R. M., & Burns, B. J. (1996). The evaluation of the Fort Bragg demonstration project: An alternative interpretation of the findings. Journal of Mental Health Administration, 23(1), 238-136.

  Request a copy