Research

Through funding by SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, faculty are currently evaluating the Keystone Project. This initiative is designed to provide integrated residential treatment services for homeless adults with co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders, with the goals of engagement in long-term treatment, stabilization of housing, and reduction of mental health symptoms.

MHLP ROLE
Project Evaluator and responsible for the overall evaluation of the project that includes a baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up.

Principal Investigator: Mark A. Engelhardt, MS, MSW, ACSW
Co-PI: Kathleen Moore, PhD
Co-PI: M. Scott Young, PhD
Funding Agency: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)
Award Amount: $180,000
Dates: 06/01/2004 - 05/31/2006

The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute provides consultation to Florida communities wishing to establish a first responder program for individuals in emotional crises.  The program requires a grassroots organization of behavioral healthcare providers, law enforcement, consumers, families, and advocates.  The principal product of this organization is the 40-hour training for law enforcement to better understand and interact with individuals with a mental illness.  Following the establishment of a training program, staff works with the steering committee and member agencies to implement the law enforcement based response system.  The model of CIT was first established in Memphis in 1988 and now operates in over 400 communities nationally.

The Department has developed the C.A.F. Model for First Response for use in this law enforcement training. The purpose of this training is to provide information to assist officers in responding to persons in the community who are experiencing symptoms of a mental illness and are in crisis. The training introduces the C.A.F. Model for First Response, concepts and techniques for prompting de-escalation in first response situations, and techniques for facilitating first response situations to appropriate resolutions. The training also emphasizes the positive aspects of law enforcement interactions with individuals experiencing a mental illness and provides additional tools to utilize during first response crisis situations.

The Department also conducts C.A.F. Train-the Trainer workshops to assist law enforcement agencies in developing training curriculum to meet the needs of their department. This workshop focuses on providing the law enforcement trainer with information on the C.A.F. Model, training resources, and strategies for curriculum development. Our division has provided consultation for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and many law enforcement jurisdictions in the Tampa Bay area. We submitted curriculum to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on interacting with persons with a mental illness.

The Institute in collaboration with the Florida CIT Coalition has also developed a self-assessment tool for local law enforcement agencies to determine their progress in developing their CIT program and its consistency with the Memphis model.

Additional resources including a Toolkit are available by contacting the Department.

Link to the website for the Florida CIT Coalition at http://www.floridacit.org/

Principal Investigator: Larry Thompson, EdD

Pre-service training and certification for new hired MCSO staff.

Principal Investigator: John Mullins, BA
Funding Agency: Manatee County
Award Amount: $19,072
Dates: 01/01/2006 - 06/30/2006

Faculty have worked with the MacArthur Foundation Network on Mandated Community Treatment to examine the use of mandated community treatment of the mentally ill, including outpatient commitment, special conditions linked to housing for persons with mental illness, and conditional release from jail. This research project includes sites in Tampa, Chicago, Worchester (MA), Raleigh/Durham (NC), and San Francisco, and involves interviews with over 1,000 persons with mental illness who have received court-ordered mental health treatment.

Principal Investigator: John Petrila, JD, LLM
Funding Agency: MacArthur Foundation Network on Mandated Community Treatment
Dates: 03/01/2003 - 12/31/2003

Principal Investigator:  Kathleen Moore, PhD
Funding Agency: 13th Judicial Court Hillsborough County

FMHI will subcontract with Marion County CCASA to perform the evaluation on the Marion County portion of the main Community Substance Abuse & Mental Health Treatment Grant Project

Principal Investigator: Holly Hills, PhD
Funding Agency: Marion County Community Council Against Substance Abuse (CCASA)
Award Amount: $24,995
Dates: 04/01/2008 - 12/31/2009

This goal of this project is to continue developmental work on a statistical procedure; the maximum individualized change procedure (Boothroyd, Banks, Evans, Greenbaum, & Brown, 2004) developed as an alternative to more traditional multivariate approaches. Initial efforts suggest the procedure has some significant advantages (i.e., increased statistical power, fewer concerns with missing data) over traditional approaches in situations where treatments are individually-tailored to clients and where there are a large number of measures used to assess potential treatment outcomes. The project involves conducting various simulation studies and a secondary data analysis.

Principal Investigator: Roger Boothroyd, PhD
Funding Agency: National Institute of Mental Health
Award Amount: $147,000
Dates: 07/01/2008 - 05/31/2011

This project funded by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration examines strategies designed to improve the quality of prescribing practices for mental health medications among Medicaid enrollees in Florida. The project defines and regularly updates evidence based medication guidelines for the treatment of serious mental illness and emotional disturbances in adults and children. It then implements a variety of broad based as well as targeted interventions to increase knowledge of the guidelines and the extent to which they are considered in the prescribing of psychotherapeuticmedications.

Principal Investigator: Robert Constantine, PhD
Affiliated Research Faculty / Staff: Marie McPherson, MBA
Funding Agency: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration
Award Amount: $7,500,000
Dates: 02/13/2006 - 06/30/2013

The University of South Florida’s Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute will be subcontracting with Hillsborough County Adult Drug Court to provide the performance assessment and data collection for the evaluation of a three-year SAMHSA grant awarded to expand substance abuse treatment capacity for adult drug courts.  DACCO will provide the evidence-based treatments, including medication assisted treatment (methadone / suboxone), to serve 180 felony offenders addicted to opiates.
 
FMHI will serve as evaluator to monitor program and process outcomes during the course of this three-year study. The evaluation will include information obtained through client interviews, judicial and client case reviews, and case staffing meetings in order to monitor the following objectives:
 
• Engage client participation in the Drug Court option
• Increase use of evidenced-based practices in Court screening, assessment, and treatment
• Reduce/eliminate misuse of prescription drugs and illicit drugs
• Increase utilization of employment related resources
• Decrease symptoms of mental illness

Principal Investigator: Kathleen Moore, PhD
Co-PI: Roger H. Peters, PhD
Co-PI: M. Scott Young, PhD
Funding Agency: Hillsborough County Administrative Office of the Courts, 13th Judicial Court
Award Amount :$180,000
Dates: 10/01/2009 - 09/30/2012

The Mental Health and Substance Abuse HIV Program’s primary purpose is to increase the number of physicians capable of diagnosing and treating mental health and substance abuse disorders among HIV infected patients.

Principal Investigator: Michael D. Knox, PhD
Funding Agency: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through HRSA
Award Amount: $150,000
Dates: 07/01/2005 - 12/30/2006

The purpose of this project is to investigate and disseminate the mechanisms underlying potential racial/ethnic and sex disparities in substance use disorder treatment services among justice-involved adolescents, a health disparity population prone to suffer harsher consequences from substance misuse.  This study integrates a sociological theory of health disparities (the stress process model), a sociological framework for measuring unmet treatment needs (the cascade of care), and advanced quantitative methods (mediation analysis in structural equation modeling).

Principal Investigator:  Micah Johnson, PhD
Funding Agency:  National Institutes of Health / University of California, San Francisco

This study evaluates services to participants in the Mother and Children Transitional Living Program in collaboration with First Step of Sarasota. The evaluation will also assess whether the following program goals are achieved: 1) increase postpartum women's access to transitional living with treatment, and 2) increase the number of pregnant clients served in prenatal residential care.

Principal Investigator: Colleen Clark, PhD
Co-PI: M. Scott Young, PhD
Funding Agency: SAMHSA/CSAT program, contract with First Step of Sarasota.
Award Amount: $126,000
Dates: 12/17/2004 - 09/29/2007

FMHI will work with PRI as senior consultant on NCMHJJ primary award to implement task & activities associated with participation in the Models for Change Initiative in Washington State.

Principal Investigator: Holly Hills, PhD
Funding Agency: Policy Research Inc.
Award Amount: $11,782
Dates: 04/01/2008 - 02/28/2009

Since 1995 the Department has provided ongoing consultation and technical assistance to the National GAINS Center for People with Co-occurring Disorders in the Justice System. This Center serves as a national locus and clearinghouse for the collection and dissemination of information about effective mental health and substance abuse services for people with co-occurring disorders in contact with the justice system.

Principal Investigator: Holly Hills, PhD
Funding Agency: National GAINS Center for People with Co-occurring Disorders in the Justice System
Dates: 01/01/1995 - 01/01/2010

The Department of Mental Health Law and Policy continues to participate in statewide, inter-agency planning efforts to develop resources for persons with mental illness in the community. This planning goal is in response to the Supreme Court decision - Olmstead vs. L.C. to integrate people with disabilities into the community.

Principal Investigator: Mark A. Engelhardt, MS, MSW, ACSW
Funding Agency: Magna Systems, Inc.
Award Amount: $80,000
Dates: 10/01/2006 - 09/30/2010

Through a $3.4 million annual contract with the Florida Department of Children and Families, the PTC provides training and certification for the state of Florida and the various community-based agencies and Sheriff’s offices responsible for investigation and supervision of children and families who are at risk for abuse and neglect. This competency-based training includes classroom instruction, field-based mentoring and coaching, and review of quality case management activities through a statewide certification process, and advanced and specialized in-service education. The PTC has 18 years of experience in providing training and certification, and has trained more the 50,000 child welfare professionals and juvenile justice professionals, including 56% of child welfare professionals who are currently trained and certified in Florida. This PTC is directed by John Mullins, 813/974-9253.

Principal Investigator: John Mullins, BA
Funding Agency: Department of Children and Families
Award Amount: $1,986,497
Dates: 11/01/2004 - 06/30/2006

Pre-service training and certification for newly hired PCSO staff.

Principal Investigator: John Mullins, BA
Funding Agency: Pasco County
Award Amount: $7,871
Dates: 01/01/2006 - 06/30/2006

The Department provides the statewide training and technical assistance related to supportive housing for persons with serious mental illness and substance use disorders, and has helped to develop the Florida Guidelines for Supportive Housing.

Brochure for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness(pdf)

Principal Investigator: Mark A. Engelhardt, MS, MSW, ACSW
Affiliated Research Faculty / Staff: James Winarski, MSW
Funding Agency: Department of Children and Families
Award Amount: $293,832
Dates: 07/01/2008 - 06/30/2014

This project is examining the patterns of service use of DJJ children before during and after involvement in the Florida DJJ system.

Principal Investigator: Paul Stiles, JD, PhD
Funding Agency: MacArthur Foundation (through University of Pittsburgh)
Award Amount: $40,000
Dates: 12/01/2004 - 12/31/2006

The Perinatal HIV Prevention Program’s primary purpose is to provide Perinatal HIV education to healthcare workers, review clinical procedures and protocols for HIV infected pregnant women, as well as provide training and technical assistance regarding Rapid HIV Testing.

Principal Investigator: Jeffrey Beal, MD, AAHIVS
Funding Agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Florida Department of Health
Award Amount: $200,000
Dates: 07/01/2009 - 06/30/2013

This $1.3 million, five-year grant is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and is designed to identify subtypes of persons who meet diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (APD) and to compare those subtypes on relevant personality features (e.g., impulsivity, aggression) and social outcomes (e.g., drug treatment outcomes, criminal recidivism). A second component of the study will evaluate multiple measures for the assessment of psychopathy in offenders. This is a multi-year, multi-site study with participants being drawn from prisons and residential drug treatment programs in Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Texas, and Florida.

Principal Investigator: Norman Poythress, PhD
Funding Agency: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Award Amount: $1,300,000
Dates: 06/01/2002 - 05/31/2007

The pilot study will use Baker Act examination data to identify individuals that were the subject of emergency psychiatric evaluation orders issued under provisions of the Baker Act. DCF Integrated Data System (IDS) will be used to identify which of these individuals were admitted to a CSU and /or SRT as a result of these emergency orders.

Principal Investigator: Robert Constantine, PhD
Funding Agency: Ortho-McNeil Janssen Scientific Affairs, LLC
Award Amount: $15,000
Dates: 09/10/2008 - 12/31/2008

This three year project works with female drug court offenders in a nationally recognized treatment model to enhance a person’s motivation to change. The grant is from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, a federal regulatory agency that operates under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The program features court-supervised, comprehensive treatment for eligible non-violent felony offenders and is managed by Pinellas County Drug Court.

Operation PAR, West Care Gulf Coast-Florida and the University of South Florida’s Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI) focus on the client’s motivation for change and the enhancement of coping skills for dealing with traumas that the clients may face with abuse of prescription drugs. One goal of the program is to develop uniform Drug Court treatment and administrative procedures for dealing prescription drug offenders.

Other objectives include:       

1. Increasing Pinellas Drug Court’s capacity to serve women in gender-specific, culturally appropriate environments;
2. Utilizing a standardized screening assessment to accurately identify co-occurring disorders and trauma;
3. Putting evidence based treatment into operation;
4. Screening for prescription drug abuse.

Principal Investigator: Kathleen Moore, PhD
Co-PI: M. Scott Young, PhD
Funding Agency: Pinellas County Justice and Consumer Services
Award Amount: $70,530
Dates: 10/01/2008 - 09/30/2011

The Pinellas County Data Collaborative was established in 1999 to enhance county mental health services by encouraging collaboration among community service providers, government agencies, and educational institutions. In addition to FMHI, key members of the Collaborative from Pinellas County include the County Commissioners, the Circuit Court, the County Attorney, Sheriff’s Office, the Pinellas Department of Social Services, and the Juvenile Welfare Board. Participating state agencies include the Florida Department of Children and Families and the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. The Policy and Services Research Data Center (PSRDC) at FMHI compiles and analyzes data shared through the Collaborative for the Pinellas County Blue Ribbon Panel on Mental Health and Substance Abuse and for various other projects.

Principal Investigator: Charles Dion, MA
Award Amount: $18,000
Dates: 10/01/2009 - 09/30/2013

Under this contract we are carrying out a county-wide human services needs assessment using a multimethod approach.

Principal Investigator: Paul Stiles, JD, PhD
Funding Agency: Pinellas County Human Services Department
Award Amount: $99,000
Dates: 03/01/2004 - 06/30/2005

In partnership with University of South Florida, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) was awarded a three-year SMART Supervision grant from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) totaling $750,000. The project will implement evidence-based supervision strategies and an Alternative Sanctions Program (ASP) in Pinellas County designed to improve probation success rates, improve public safety, reduce prison/jail admissions, and save taxpayer money. High risk offenders who have violated the terms of their probation (VOP) will be offered the opportunity to remain in the community by enrolling in the program, or they can proceed through the local criminal justice system as usual.

Grant funds will be used to hire two Senior Probation Officers who will each oversee a specialized caseload of high risk VOP probationers. Participants will receive a comprehensive needs assessment followed by court orders to attend needed services. The ASP will be designed to implement a swift and certain incentive and sanction system that will be approved through an administrative order of the court. ASP incentives include verbal praise, decreased supervision, fewer drug tests, fewer contacts, early termination, and travel permits. Sanctions largely include alternatives to incarceration such as curfew, public service hours, increased reporting, and assessment for services related to the infraction. Drs. Scott Young (Principal Investigator) and Kathleen Moore (Co-Principal Investigator) received $120,000 to serve as the Research Partners and independently evaluate the program’s effectiveness. This program is being piloted in Pinellas County, and FDOC may expand this model if demonstrated to be effective.

Principal Investigator: M. Scott Young, PhD
Co-PI: Kathleen Moore, PhD
Funding Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), US Department of Justice (DOJ)
Award Amount: $120,000
Dates: 10/01/2014 - 09/30/2017

The goal of this program is to support the implementation, enhancement, and proactive use of opioid data monitoring programs to obtain real-time/timely data collection from key stakeholders to better articulate the current state of opioid misuse.  

Principal Investigator:  Charles Dion, MA
Funding Agency:  Pinellas County 

Established in 1996, the PSRDC informs public policy and program development through the timely compilation, integration, and analysis of administrative and other data, and strives to be a leader in management, organization and dissemination of information on health and mental health issues. The PSRDC’s unique capabilities include the collection, storage, and analysis of multiple, large scale administrative data sets. PSRDC staff provide research related services that include project management, research design, programming and analysis, database development, and data management. These services enable systematic research on a variety of issues and make complex data systems readily available to researchers and policy makers. Through formal agreements with the relevant agencies, the PSRDC provides data management and analysis services for administrative data related to civil commitment, Medicaid Claims and eligibility, Medicare claims, state mental hospital and state mental health and substance abuse treatment. The PSRDC also has on-going relationships with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Department of Corrections, and the Florida Department of Education.

Principal Investigator: Charles Dion, MA

Principal Investigator:  Kathleen Moore, PhD
Funding Agency: Tampa Bay Thrives

A USF-led study team has completed a project on the Psychology of Terrorism for a major U.S. intelligence agency. This project analyzed the behavioral science literature to better understand the causes, motivations and determinants of terrorist behavior. In addition to the final report (www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/208552.pdf), the team produced a 220 page annotated bibliography (http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/208551.pdf) and conducted training for intelligence professionals.

Principal Investigator: Randy Borum, PsyD

Faculty are assisting the Governor’s ADA Workgroup to provide training and consultation in Supportive Housing approaches to three federally-funded Real Choice demonstration projects in Palm Beach, Pasco and Hillsborough/Pinellas Counties to expand independent living opportunities for persons with multiple or cross-disabilities.

Principal Investigator: Mark A. Engelhardt, MS, MSW, ACSW
Funding Agency: Florida Department of Management Services
Award Amount: $75,000
Dates: 07/01/2005 - 05/31/2006

This reserach project will address a gap in the field by identifying daily changing factors that impede or promote cessation efferts in a sample of heavy drinking smokers. The study will use innovative interactive voice response (IVR) telephone surveys and have participants track smoking, alcohol consumption, self-efficacy realted to smoking, and craivgs twice a day for 28 days.

Funding Agency: American Cancer Society
Award Amount: $30,000
Dates: 01/01/2013 - 12/31/2013

This project is non-funded and involves participation by partnerships in a learning community connected through a web-based curriculum, conference calls, videoconferences, and two regional meetings. The goal is to improve outcomes for substance-involved youth in the juvenile justice system. Community Partners: Susan Carrigan (Hillsborough County Office), Maritza Lopez and Gail Holly (Juvenile Drug Court), Mark Studstill (Goodwill, Inc.), Lori Provenzano (ACTS, Inc.), and Lee Underwood (DACCO, Inc.)

Principal Investigator: Kathleen Moore, PhD
Funding Agency: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Dates: 06/03/2004 - 12/31/2005

This contract examined the impact of Medicaid enrollment on outcomes for persons with severe mental illness who are released from jail.

Principal Investigator: Paul Stiles, JD, PhD
Funding Agency: Policy Research Associates, Inc.
Award Amount: $34,000
Dates: 01/01/2003 - 12/31/2004