DACCO Behavioral Health recently received a SAMHSA award of $2.6 million for the next five years in partnership with Champions for Children, Northside Behavioral Health, Baycare Behavioral Health, and USF's Department of Mental Health Law & Policy to expand family treatment services. This SAMHSA-funded program will enable DACCO to work in tandem with community partners to serve pregnant and up to one-year post-partum mothers in need of addiction treatment. A comprehensive treatment approach will be used with participation of the family and treatment providers to support each participant's progress.

Dr. Kathleen Moore will oversee the evaluation component of the grant that will include collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. The evaluation will assist DACCO Behavioral Health meet its goals and objectives of assessing the effectiveness of program implementation and to provide recommendations for improving key program functions. Data obtained from the program will be routinely monitored in order to modify program components, procedures, and approaches, and to justify sustainability of the program.

CFS's Steve Roggenbaum recently collaborated with Deputy First Class Armando R. Harwood of the Orange County Sheriff's Office and retired Law Enforcement Coordinator Donna G. Schulz/U.S. Attorney's Office on a suicide prevention and law enforcement-related article.

According to the article, Law Enforcement Suicides: Protect Ourselves, Protect Each Other, published in the Fall Edition of FSA's (Florida Sheriff's Association) All Points Bulletin, between 13 and 18 percent of officers struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Additionally, in 2016, 108 police officers died by suicide, with an average of 17 years on the job (The National Study of Police Suicides, 2018). The effort was an initiative of the Florida Suicide Prevention Coordinating Council.

The Sherriff's Association mailed out 10,000 copies to sheriffs' offices and to members of the Florida Deputy Sheriffs Association.

"The potential reach of the information is significant and will hopefully make a difference in the future for officers who put their lives on the line every day and may find themselves struggling with trauma and PTSD," said Steve Roggenbaum.

The article includes suicide prevention resources and additional suggestions if officers find themselves or others in need of supports.

Dr. Liz Perkins, FCIC's Associate Director is the current president of the American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. During AAIDD's national conference, she gave her presidential address on the topic of "Reaffirming Diversity and Inclusion." Now published in one of the three AAIDD Journals, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, her address shares how her personal and professional experiences have shaped her views regarding inclusion. More...

Thanks to everyone who organized and attended the CBCS holiday party last week. As always, the organizing team created a festive atmosphere with great prizes, food, desserts, and a photo booth. Special thanks to the planning committee for their creativity: Wendy Stoneman-Shelby, Lydia Hentschel, Elizabeth Ingram, Rocky Haynes, Stephanie Martinez, Matthew Harris, Kerianne Beckford, Nicole Stephenson, Julianne Schmelter, Julie Kuhn, Schafaris Saunders, Carolyn Jewett, and Patty Cleveland.