Child and Family Behavioral Health

This study evaluates the impact of a proven customized employment service on employment rates of Veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) who have not been successful with other vocational service options. Results will guide research and practices for adoption of ACCESS-Vets as part of the Veterans Health Administration's vocational services to improve employment outcomes for Veterans with SCI. 

Contact: Areana Cruz, MSEd
Funding Agency: James A Haley Veteran's Hospital

The Family First organization has developed and implemented a literacy campaign within their All Pro Dad (APD) program designed to enhance father and child relationships, while also building child reading and academic skills. The evaluation plan examines the implementation experiences of new chapters and identifies opportunities to support their continued growth and success. This plan includes research questions and methods that are guided by APD goals. It reports on strategies that Family First can use to support the growth and enhance the positive impact of APD chapter events on dads and their children. As Family First continues to grow the APD program, the evaluation plan will expand its focus to assess changes over time in parent knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to the literacy campaign. 

Contact: Donna Burton, PhD
Funding Agency: Family First

Researchers at the University of South Florida developed data collection spreadsheets and analyzed data for the FL Department of Health’s Pediatric Behavioral Health Collaborative initiative. This initiative provides integrated behavioral health services within pediatric primary care
practices in various regions of Florida. The research team at USF is currently providing evaluation services for this initiative.

Contact: Areana Cruz, MSEd
Funding Agency: Florida Department of Health

This study informs ongoing implementation and improves program effectiveness for violence prevention and mental health training programs funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) in response to the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act. A cross-site analysis of programs across 128 sites throughout the U.S. is included in the study, as well as  an in-depth case study analysis across diverse geographic locations. The impact of COVID-19 on system-wide efforts to address mental health and violence prevention in schools is being explored. Results will inform broader understandings of violence prevention and mental health program implementation in schools through dissemination of findings to the school, practitioner, and research communities. Read more.

Contact: Anna Davidson Abella, PhD
Funding Agency: National Institute of Justice

The purpose of the Florida Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Initiative
is to implement selected Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA)-approved, evidence-based home visiting programs that best meet the needs of their communities. USF researchers are examining child maltreatment outcomes for participants in the MIECHV intervention.

Contact: Svetlana Yampolskaya, PhD
Funding Agency: Florida Association of Healthy Start Coalition, Inc.

The purpose of this evaluation is to determine the effectiveness of a jail diversion initiative aimed at providing enhanced services to individuals with mental illness and co-occurring disorders charged with minor offences and provide treatment and intensive case management in lieu of criminal justice charges.

Contact: Anna Davidson Abella, PhD
Funding Agency: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

The Families First Prevention Services Act (FFPSA, 2018) reforms child welfare financing streams to provide prevention services to families who are at risk of entering the child welfare system; allows for federal reimbursement for community mental health, substance use treatment, and in-home parenting skills training; and seeks to improve the well-being of children already in foster care by incentivizing states to reduce placement of children in congregate care. In order to meet these changes, states and local areas must be prepared to implement programs and practices that have been determined by the FFPSA Clearinghouse to be either well-supported, supported, or promising. USF will evaluate Florida’s implementation and fidelity of nine evidence-based practices (EBPs) as the state transitions to FFPSA: Motivational Interviewing, Multisystemic Therapy, Functional Family Therapy, Parent Child Interaction Therapy, Healthy Family Florida, Homebuilders, Brief Strategic Family Therapy, Nurse Family Partnerships, and Parents as Teachers.

Contact: Amy Vargo, PhD
Funding Agencies: Florida Department of Children and Families/ Administration for Children and Families

This project assesses whether two specific interventions have a positive impact on various child welfare outcomes among families involved in the child protection system. The NPP intervention was implemented by one child welfare community-based care agency in Florida—Kids Central, Inc. (KCI), with the focus on families who have already experienced, or are deemed to be at higher risk for, child maltreatment. The FIT intervention was developed by a group of key behavioral health stakeholders in Florida and aims to help families involved in the child welfare system due to parental substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders. Both studies seek to determine the extent to which these interventions prevent child maltreatment, expedite the achievement of permanency, and maintain child safety.

Contact: Svetlana Yampolskaya, PhD
Funding Agency: Casey Family Programs

The FIT model was developed and implemented by the Florida Department of Children and Families throughout Florida for child welfare involved families with substance abuse issues. This study assesses the effect of FIT on child safety, permanency in case the child was placed in foster care, and parental wellbeing.

Contact: Svetlana Yampolskaya, PhD
Funding Agency: Florida Department of Children and Families

This study examines outcomes among child welfare involved parents who were referred to Family Connections based upon the family’s risk level at the time of the investigation closure and compares these outcomes with those who did not participate in services with the equivalent risk levels at the time of the investigation closure.

Contact: Svetlana Yampolskaya, PhD
Funding Agency: Action 4 Child Protection

The USF team is developing documentation and a system for the Agency for Community Treatment Services (ACTS) to convey basic information about the evaluation to people enrolled in the Juvenile Diversion Programs program. The team will use the SAMHSA developed & required interview protocol. At intake a few measures are added, including questions about insurance coverage, the Vulnerability Index: Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) & the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) scales for trauma experience & resilience. Added to the interviews at intake, 6 months and discharge, shorter status check interviews will be conducted at 3 and 9 months (if still enrolled) that will include an update of contact information and completion of the VI-SPDAT. This frequency will help reach the SAMHSA 80% retention rate.

Contact: Anna Davidson Abella, PhD
Funding Agency: Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners

The IMAP project assesses the needs of Veterans and service members with traumatic brain injuries. Staff conduct and analyze data from semi-structured interviews with providers, advocates, community partners, and policy makers regarding the facilitators and barriers to accessing services.

Contact: Areana Cruz, MSEd
Funding Agency: Tampa Veteran’s Administration Research & Education Foundation

The project provides direct services to foster/adoptive parents, relative caregivers and birth parents of foster children through the Just In Time training (JIT) Website. The website provides information and web-based training videos that facilitate foster/adoptive parents, relative caregivers and birth parents learning strategies to improve their parenting skills. The web-based trainings will include such topics as: trauma informed parenting, mentoring of biological parents by foster parents; strategies to support successful reunification, how to support foster children’s education; support the healthy development of infants and toddlers in foster care; importance of providing quality health care; brain development; and adolescent development. 

JIT projects vary throughout states.

Contact: Pamela Hardy-Jones
Funding Agencies: University of California, Berkley; Cuyahoga County Division of Children and Families; Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services; Nevada Department of Child and Family Services; Turning Points for Children

This collaborative evaluation assesses the implementation of the Making Connections Initiative at sites across the U.S. The Making Connections Initiative supports the development of prevention-focused, responsive strategies to promote mental well-being among men and boys.

Contact: Roxann McNeish Taormina, PhD
Funding Agency: Movember Foundation

This project is evaluating the Florida PBHC. The goals of the PBHC include increasing the number of pediatric behavioral health screenings and referrals, improving collaboration between pediatric primary care and behavioral health providers, and improving children’s behavioral health outcomes. USF researchers are responsible for evaluating the effectiveness of program implementation and analyzing data related to the target outcomes. 

Contact: Areana Cruz, MSEd
Funding Agency: Florida Department of Health

This project provides direct services to foster/adoptive parents, relative caregivers and birth parents of foster children through the Just In Time training (JIT) Website. The website providse information and web-based training videos that  facilitate foster/adoptive parents, relative caregivers and birth parents learning strategies to improve their parenting skills. The web-based trainings include such topics as: trauma informed parenting, mentoring of biological parents by foster parents; strategies to support successful reunification, how to support foster children’s education; support the healthy development of infants and toddlers in foster care; importance of providing quality health care; brain development; and adolescent development. 

Contact: Pamela Hardy-Jones
Funding Agency: University of California, Berkley

PFPC is  aimed at increasing parents’ recovery from substance abuse disorders, improving outcomes for children, and enhancing family functioning and stability. FSSNF expanded their voluntary, non-judical program to provide a comprehensive array of services and supports to meet the needs of families impacted by substance misuse. Eligible families were randomly assigned to either the control group (services as usual) or the intervention group (enhanced services).  The expanded service array for the intervention group adds peer support and health care coordination to supplement existing services and supports to improve outcomes for children 0-5 years of age and their families.  USF is conducting the comprehensive assessment on the performance and outcomes of PFPC. The evaluation includes a process evaluation, partnership evaluation, and outcomes analysis designed to 1) assess the implementation of the program, 2) understand the development of the collaborative group brought together to serve and support the target population, and 3) examine the impact of the program on child and family outcomes.

Contact: Monica Landers, PhD
Funding Agency: Family Support Services of North Florida

This evaluation study is focused on using data provided by the Indiana DMHA Equity Office to assess how well statewide equity efforts have worked to reduce behavioral health disparities, particularly those experienced by racially or ethnically minoritized communities within the state; LGBTQ+ youth; and others. Findings will be used to address two key evaluation aims: 1) evaluate DMHA equity initiatives for effectiveness, give recommendations for future directions, identify continuous quality improvements for organizational equity processes, and assist DMHA staff with technical assistance; and 2) use DMHA data to inform DMHA’s work, service provision, funding decisions, policy, and training regarding health equity.

Contact: Linda Callejas, PhD
Funding Agency: Indiana Dept of Mental Health & Addiction Health Equity

The SPARK curriculum-based group intervention aims to improve academic success, healthy relationships, and prevent involvement in problem behavior including risky sexual behavior. This study examined the effect of SPARK of Duval intervention on targeted outcomes among young people ages 11-17 living in out-of-home foster care.

Contact: Svetlana Yampolskaya, PhD
Funding Agency: Children's Home Society of Florida