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July 6, 2026

Sen. Darryl Rouson speaks at a USF Board of Trustees meeting

Darryl E. Rouson Center for Substance Use and Mental Health Research receives state support


The Darryl E. Rouson Center for Substance Use and Mental Health Research at the University of South Florida has received generous funding in Florida's 2026–27 state budget, which was recently signed into law by Gov. Ron Desantis.

A group of palliative care trainers and assisted living staff stand together in a classroom holding certificates of completion. A presentation slide for the Palliative Care Education in Assisted Living Lab is displayed on a screen behind them

National study supports palliative care education for assisted living providers


Researchers from the Palliative Care Education in Assisted Living (PCEAL) Lab recently partnered with Empath Health to provide specialized palliative care training for staff at Sun Towers retirement and assisted living community in Sun City Center.

CBCS in the news and publications

CBCS In the News

Criminal Profilers Highlight Key Clues in the Nancy Guthrie Ransom Letter & What it Means

Surviving the Survivor: #BestGuests in True Crime 

"You are hearing from Dr. Bryanna Fox, former FBI Special Agent, former FBI behavioral science unit researcher, professor of criminology at the University of South Florida, specializing in violent offenders and behavior analysis."


Publications

Babenko, N., Kranz, N. A., Haley, W. E., Hernandez-Bojorge, S., Perdiguero, L., Bastardo-Acosta, J., & Dobbs, D. (2026). Building resilient healthcare systems: Physicians’ views on ways to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua. Critical Public Health, 36(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/09581596.2026.2694816


Bilali, K., Walker, E., Chenneville, T., & Reid, J. A. (2026). Evaluating OPTION: the benefits and pitfalls of a youth trafficking specialty court in Florida. Journal of Adolescent and Child Trauma, 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40653-026-00927-x


Bjerregaard, Beth, Fogel, Sondra J., & Smith, M. Dwayne. (2026). Second chances: A follow-up on capital murder defendants sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. Homicide Studies. Advance online publication: https://doi.org/10.1177/10887679261450228


Burns, M. K., Powell-Smith, K. A., Gray, J. S., & Goran, L. G. (2026). Language and reading: predicting reading proficiency with morphology, syntax, and vocabulary. Reading and Writing, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-026-10867-5


Drobisz, J., Oark, S., & Smith, G. (2026). The role of arousal in L2 readers’ engagement and comprehension during pedagogical agent–guided online reading. Language Learning & Technology, 30(1), 1–19. https://doi.org/10.64152/10125/73694


Glueckauf, R. L., Lampe, N. M., Behers, B. J., Wang, Y., Paredes, J., Davis, W. S., Springer, J., Schettini, G., Bernabe, D. L., Jr., Norton-Brown, T., Gordon, C., Shetty, G., Rubin, D., Vasquez, G., Jean-Pierre, S., Willis, F. B., & Nowakowski, A. C. H. (2026). African American Dementia Caregiver Strategies Inventory: Initial descriptive and psychometric evaluation. Rehabilitation Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037/rep0000684


Imaezue, G.C., Maram, K.V., Ajayi, D., Alohali, I., & Butta, R.K. (2026). Preclinical dialogue simulation: Evaluating response accessibility in conversational artificial intelligence for aphasia therapy. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 1-16. Advance online publication. http://doi.org/10.1044/2026_JSLHR-26-00031

Events and Deadlines

Project iSEBA 2026 Summer Institute 

July 10 | 9 a.m - noon | Register

"Utilizing Distance Learning and Technology, Math Instruction, Literacy Instruction, and School Leadership to Support School-Aged Children with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Disorders." The Project iSEBA 2026 Summer Institute will be divided into four parts, offered on four different days. 

Rehabilitation Counseling and Disability Sciences Virtual Information Session

July 23 | 12-1 p.m. | Register

Please join us for an online information session to learn more about the Rehabilitation Counseling and Disability Sciences Online Master's Program at USF.

Translational Research in Adolescent Behavioral Health Graduate Certificate Info/Q&A Sessions

Aug. 7 | 12-1 p.m. | Join session

Sept. 18 | 12-1 p.m. | Join session

Oct. 5 | 12-1 p.m. | Join session

The Institute for Translational Research Education in Adolescent Substance Use is accepting applications for its next cohort! The program prepares scholars to conduct community-based research using implementation science and translational research techniques. Graduate students and working professionals are eligible to apply. Find more information here.

From Research to Action: The Florida Behavioral Health Workforce Summit

Sept. 10-11 | Marshall Student Center | Register

Join the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce for its inaugural summit aimed at translating research into action to grow, retain and innovate Florida’s workforce. From researchers and service providers to policymakers, educators, students and more, this summit brings every voice in the continuum together. Continuing education credits are available.

Educational Assessment & Scale Development course

This course offers graduate student researchers a comprehensive introduction to educational and psychological assessment, with examples drawn from language, literacy, mathematics and intelligence. For permit, email Jason Anthony, PhD, EdS, at jasonanthony@usf.edu.

Adding News, Events, and Publications to the CBCS Website and Newsletter


If you have news/events or recent/upcoming publications you would like posted on the CBCS website and/or in the Communique newsletter, send the details and any attachments to CBCS Marketing (CBCSMarketing@usf.edu). Please send all newsletter submissions no later than Thursday for inclusion in the following week's newsletter.


Be sure to include all pertinent information (title, date, times, location, event description, and contact information) in editable digital text format. Articles included in the CBCS Communiqué may be disseminated to USF Media outlets and/or beyond.

 
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