USF was selected as a 2019 Higher Education Excellence in Diversity Award from Insight Into Diversity Magazine, the oldest and largest diversity publication in higher education. The HEED Award is the only national honor recognizing U.S. colleges and universities that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion across their campus. The 94 honorees will be featured in the November 2019 issue of INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine.

Roger Peters, PhD, Professor in the Department of Mental Health Law and Policy recently provided a workshop for the First Faculty of Medicine at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic. The workshop entitled: "Addressing Substance Use Disorders within the Justice System" was attended by 34 faculty members, graduate students, and criminal justice professionals. The day-long session focused on approaches for screening, assessment, and diagnosis of substance use disorders within the justice system, and strategies for training policymakers in use of treatment alternatives to incarceration.

-- written by Henry Trent

This summer, the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences offered classes in Florence, Italy. Dr. Randy Otto taught Forensic Psychology with curriculum tailored to the study abroad experience. While in Florence, Otto taught cases specific to the Tuscany region, like The Monster of Florence and Amanda Knox.

"I think it gives them a different perspective on the world," said Dr. Otto, "For many students, it was the first time they traveled internationally alone."

Students and professors lived in Florence and attended class at Florence University of the Arts. Many students, like Rachel Stutler, had never been out of the country and had to navigate the culture and language.

"This study abroad was my first time out of the country," said Stutler, "but since this trip it really has given me a love for traveling and independence."

Richard Prudom, will present "Florida's Vision for Livable Communities: How USF Can Help" on Friday, September 27, 2019 at 10:30am in USF Collage of Nursing, MDN 2005. Mr. Prudom was appointed in January 2019 as Secretary for the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA), the State Unit on Aging, whose mission is to help Florida's 5.5 million elders remain healthy, safe, and independent. With 30 years in executive leadership with the State of Florida, he has worked to develop, implement, and lead public policies and programs that improve the lives of Florida families. During his time at DOEA, Mr. Prudom also led several initiatives, including the Dementia Care and Cure Initiative (DCCI) and the revitalization of the Communities for a Lifetime Initiative. He leads the Department's efforts to make Florida an Age-Friendly State in close partnership with AARP and their Network of Age-Friendly Communities.

As you probably know, the college exceeded $30M in contract and grant awards last year. However, few in the college are aware of the broad scope of our grant activities. So each week in Communique we plan to provide brief descriptions of our sponsored projects. Below is the first set of summaries.

Trina Spencer (CFS)

A Close Inspection of the Academic Language Used by K-3 Students
Sponser: US Dept of Education
7/1/2018-6/30/2022
Amount: $1,323,166

Dr. Trina D. Spencer was recently awarded a new grant from the Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences for $1,323,166. This project leverages the expertise of education researchers (Trina Spencer, University of South Florida) and corpus linguists (Randy Reppen and Doug Biber, Northern Arizona University) to create a large database of K-3 students' academic language. Researchers have partnered with Hillsborough County Public Schools HOST program and local Parks & Recreation organizations to complete this research.

David Eddins (CSD)
Efficient Measures of Central Auditory Processing (OHSU)
Sponser: Oregon Health & Science University
4/1/2016-3/31/2021
Amount: $655,643

Most diagnoses of hearing loss focus on the audiogram, which is not sensitive to dysfunction at many of the additional processing stages associated with auditory perception; e.g., recent data from many laboratories, including our own, have shown clear auditory processing deficits in older listeners and patients who have suffered traumatic brain injury, despite normal audiograms. Modern auditory neuroscience, computational modeling, and psychoacoustics have provided great insight into the information processing that underlies auditory perception and have identified specific stimuli and tasks for the evaluation of central auditory function, but this information has largely remained in the laboratory. This project will develop and evaluate a set of clinical tests that draw upon modern laboratory tests and theories of auditory system function to form the basis of a new clinical test battery for central auditory dysfunction that will support the accurate diagnosis of a much wider range of the difficulties that can lead to auditory complaints. Project development also includes a consumer-audio platform for automated administration of the tests, increasing the affordability and accessibility of these procedures in an effort to widely promote precision audiology.

M Scott Young (MHLP)
Low Demand Model Development Project
Sponser: Department of Veterans Affairs
8/18/2016-8/17/2020
Amount: $474,995

This project will provide technical assistance, training, and evaluation services for over 70 Low Demand transitional housing programs funded through the VA's Grant and Per Diem (GPD) Office. Low Demand housing programs utilize a harm reduction framework to accommodate chronically homeless Veterans who were either unsuccessful in traditional housing programs, or did not participate in them, due to treatment participation and sobriety requirements for admission to and/or continued stay in the programs. Low Demand housing programs do not require sobriety or compliance with mental health/substance use treatment as a condition of admission or continued stay, and they are characterized by the following: demands are kept to a minimum; environment of care is non-intrusive as possible to foster trust between staff and residents; rules focus on staff and resident safety; and case management, education, and treatment services are offered and highly encouraged, but are not a condition of admission or continued stay.

Alison Salloum (SW)
The Stepped Care Project Examining Trajectories and Progress Among Child Victims of Violence and Their Caregivers Through Trial of an Early Intervention Model in Municipalities
Sponser: The Norwegian Centre for Violence and Trauma
5/1/2018-6/30/2020
Amount: $16,948

The Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies will examine the feasibility of integrating Stepped Care Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (SC-TF-CBT) into community mental health services for children. Dr. Salloum will provide training and consultation on delivering Step One (known as Stepping Together) as part of SC-TF-CBT. Dr. Salloum will meet in Oslo, Norway to provide a two-day training with psychologists that will be delivering Stepping Together and will then provide web-based consultation.

In Spring 2019 the midterm grade policy changed to make midterm grades due week 7-8 in an effort to facilitate performance toward our student success initiatives. The Office of the Registrar's calendar was recently updated to reflect the new dates in accordance with the new policy. For the Fall 2019, midterm grading opens on October 7 and closes on October 18. The new dates should be reflected in Fall 2019 course syllabi. Click here for the Registrar's calendar.

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