Max L. Bromley was recognized with a 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award from the Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice. The award was presented to Dr. Bromley at the 2016 Criminology Development Council Hall of Fame Celebratory Dinner, held September 9th at Hotel Duval in Tallahassee.

Dr. Bromley was one of two alumni to receive this prestigious award, which recognizes and honors the numerous professional and personal achievements of FSU College of Criminology and Criminal Justice graduates. Recipients demonstrate outstanding professional accomplishments, service to the College, FSU, community and/or professional organizations, as well as embody the strength, skill, and character of Florida State University.

Mario Hernandez, PhD, received the "2016 Hispanic Success Story Award" from the Tampa Hispanic Services Council (HSC) on September 28. The award was presented by Maria Pinzon, HSC Executive Director, who said, "Dr. Hernandez was chosen for his accomplishments in the mental health field and his advocacy and commitment to positive health outcomes for children and families. We strongly believe that by highlighting Mario's success story, he will serve as a role model to the children and families that we serve, as an example of what can be achieved through education and dedication." Read more...

In partnership with The University of South Florida, the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office (PCSO) was awarded a three-year SMART Policing Initiative (SPI) grant titled "The Chronic Consumer Mitigation Project" totaling $635,241 from the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Drs. Scott Young (Principal Investigator) and Beom Lee (Co-Principal Investigator) received $132,401 to serve as the Research Partners and independently evaluate the program's effectiveness. This project will provide individualized mental health and support services to help reduce recidivism among offenders with repeated incarcerations and multiple involuntary commitments. PCSO will develop and deploy a mental health unit that includes Navigators and deputies who have behavioral health expertise. The deputies will be in plainclothes and outfitted with unmarked vehicles to reduce the stigma associated with law enforcement contact. Navigators will regularly review PCSO calls for service and reports to identify appropriate cases for the mental health unit. Navigators will also provide intensive case management to identified participants to help optimize their access to behavioral health services, and to help reduce their subsequent contacts with law enforcement.

CBCS student and Board Certified assistant Behavior Analyst (BCaBA), Kelsey O'Neill has been awarded a $16,000 fellowship grant by Behavioral Consulting of Tampa Bay (BCOTB). BCOTB, a leader in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Therapy and a long-time partner of the ABA program at USF, established the fellowship program in 2016 to provide financial assistance for students who are pursuing their Master's Degree in ABA and have demonstrated a desire to pursue a career helping individuals with behavioral needs. Currently a second year Master's student in the ABA program at USF, Kelsey has worked in the ABA field for three years and has had experience working with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities. Read more...

Ercilia Calcano, MPH, and Celia Lescano, PhD, were selected as 2016 USF Hispanic Advisory Committee Pathways Awardees for their contributions to the betterment of Latinos. They were presented the awards at the USF Hispanic Heritage Celebration September 29 at the USF Marshall Center. The Hispanic Pathways Award was created in 2004 to recognize USF faculty and staff for outstanding research and/or outreach that creates pathways to the betterment of the lives of Latinos.

Adina Bridges, an MSW/MPH dual degree student recently participated in a panel discussion describing the Drug court system in Bradenton Florida. The topic, "Legal Topics Affecting Children and Families" was telecast on Manatee Educational TV (September 2016). The MSW treatment court Intern along with Judge Owens and the director Alfred James described the benefits of drug court programs for the client, families and community. Adina began the MSW/MPH program at USF following her own struggles and triumphs with drug addiction. As a drug court graduate herself, Adina has a unique perspective that encompasses the view of a client and now a clinician. She hopes to use her additional understanding to evaluate and establish treatment components which prove most beneficial during today's drug epidemic.

Dr. Bill Haley of the School of Aging Studies was chosen to throw out the first pitch at the Tampa Bay Rays game against the Boston Red Sox on Saturday, September 24. The Rays were honoring the Florida Gulf Coast chapter of the Alzheimer's Association as a charity. Dr. Haley has served on the Association's Board for several years and the CEO, Gloria Smith, chose Dr. Haley as a big fan both of the Alzheimer's Association and the Rays. Bill did us proud and threw a pitch that made it into the glove of the ceremonial catcher, Juniel Querecuto, in the air.

In May 2016, USF School of Social Work faculty Dr. Manisha Joshi and Dr. Iraida V. Carrion took a group of 12 students from social work, public health, and micro-biology on an exciting three-week study abroad course, which included one week of classes on campus and two weeks in India, to learn about the socio-cultural context of people's health. During their experiential journey, they visited the historic city of Delhi and met with various community agencies, including the Salaam Baalak Trust that works with street children, Society for the Promotion of Youth and Masses drug treatment center for children, the Rahi Foundation which works with victims of sexual abuse, and the Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram which is a home that serves the elderly. A particular highlight of the visit to the old age home was the unexpected gift and honor of meeting Mr. Kanubhai Ramdas Gandhi, the grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, a new resident of the old age home.

The USF School of Social Work is proud to celebrate its 40th Anniversary this year. This event will celebrate our 40 years of social work education at USF by honoring distinguished alumni that have impacted our School and communities we serve. There will be a panel of executive level community partners discussing trends in the future of social work. Funds raised at this event will be invested in the future of the USF School of Social Work by increasing the Social Work Student Scholarship Fund.
 

9:00am-10:30am
Sam and Martha Gibbons Alumni Center - Tampa Campus