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BSW graduates welcomed into social work profession during pinning ceremonies
| Forty-seven BSW graduates gathered for two pinning ceremonies. | | Behavioral healthcare graduates welcomed into the profession at pinning ceremony | Fifty-five graduates of the USF Behavioral Healthcare program were celebrated. | |
Seeds to Systems colloquium highlights strategies to cultivate Florida’s behavioral health workforce
National and state leaders convened on April 24 to explore strategies for growing a sustainable behavioral health workforce. This year marked the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute's 12th annual colloquium, which brings together experts to examine pressing behavioral health issues. Read more.
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AI tool developed by USF researchers helps law enforcement reduce crime in Sarasota
An artificial intelligence (AI)-driven crime forecasting tool developed by researchers at USF is showing promising results in Sarasota, where it was associated with a nearly 20% reduction in crime. The tool uses AI and criminology-based forecasting to help law enforcement target identified "hotspots." Read more.
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Layla Santana wins graduate research award for study on aging, cognitive health
Layla Santana, a doctoral student in the School of Aging Studies, received the Poster Presentation Award in the Social and Behavioral Sciences category for her poster presentation at the 2026 USF Graduate Student Research Symposium. Read more.
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USF social work student participates in White House summit
Angie Sciarrone, a Master of Social Work student and outreach case manager for Manatee County’s Community Health Program, spoke at the White House in Washington, D.C., during the “Best Practices for Addiction Treatment within Homelessness” summit held April 13-14. Read more.
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Aiding in Reentry program celebrates a semester of growth
The Aiding in Reentry team gathered in the MHC atrium on Friday, May 1, for an end-of-semester celebration recognizing the program’s achievements and continued growth. Read more.
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Remembering Mary Jean Etten
Mary Jean Etten, PhD, a longtime faculty member in the School of Aging Studies and a compassionate educator and mentor to generations of students and colleagues, died on April 16, 2026. Born on Dec. 8, 1932, Etten was 93 years old at the time of her death. Read more.
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CBCS award recipient presents at national research conference
Kallie Doyle, a recent graduate of the Language, Speech, and Hearing Sciences program and CBCS Undergraduate Research Award recipient, presented her research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) 2026. Doyle worked closely with María S. Carlo, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies, on her presentation titled, “What Forms of Inferential Language Characterize Teacher and EL Student Language Produced During One-on-One Instructional Conversations During Synchronous Remote Instruction?” Doyle will begin graduate school this fall.
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FCBHW to host webinar on integrated primary care behavioral health in graduate training
The Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce is hosting a free one-hour webinar on Tuesday, June 23 from noon to 1 p.m., "Introducing Integrated Primary Care Behavioral Health in Graduate Training," featuring experts Jeff Reiter, PhD, ABPP, and Jeff Goodie, PhD, ABPP. The webinar is designed for faculty and administrators across behavioral health disciplines, including social work, psychology, counseling, and marriage and family therapy. CEs are available for LMHCs, LMFTs, LCSWs and psychologists.
Primary care is an increasingly important setting for behavioral health services, yet graduate training in this model remains limited. This session will introduce the integrated primary care behavioral health model, highlight emerging workforce opportunities and share practical strategies for incorporating this content into graduate curricula. Register here.
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Lynch, M. J. (2026). Last Chance to See the Humans? A Green Criminological Examination of the 6th Wave of Extinction. Social Constellations: A World Perspective, 1(1), 74–91. https://doi.org/10.66630/sc.2026.0006
Lynch, M. J., & Genco, L. J. (2026). Predicting Hunting Trends: The Effect of Pelt Prices, Urbanization and Weather on the Hunting/Trapping of Twelve Small Fur-Bearing Animals in Wisconsin, 1930–2018. Animals, 16(9), 1392. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani16091392
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Santana, L. K., Peng, S., & Meng, H. (2025). Social Connectedness and Cognitive Function in Later Life: GrimAge as an Epigenetic Mediating Pathway. Journal of Aging and Health, 08982643261447919.
https://doi.org/10.1177/08982643261447919
| | Defense of a Doctoral Dissertation | | |
Title: In Search of Protective Factors against Gun Carrying for Black Male Youth: A Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Analysis of Secondary Data.
Student: Kevin Edward Antwi
Program: Social Work
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Location: Social Work Conference Room MHC1442 or Microsoft Teams
Title: Race, Ethnic, and Gender Disparities in Human Trafficking Risk, Identification, and
Investigation
Student: Emily Walker
Program: Criminology
Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.
Location: SOC 351 or Microsoft Teams
| | Upcoming Events & Deadlines | | |
2026 Forensic Evaluation and Juvenile Justice Virtual Workshop
June 4-5 | Virtual | Register
Offered by the Department of Behavioral Health Science and Practice, the 2026 Continuing Education Forensic Training Workshop for Mental Health Professionals will focus on conducting forensic evaluations for juveniles involved in the legal system. Continuing education credits are available for Florida-licensed clinical social workers, licensed mental health counselors and psychologists.
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Call for Papers
Submission deadline: July 1
The Journal of Behavioral Health Services & Research, in partnership with the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce, invites submissions for a special issue focused on Strengthening the Behavioral Health Workforce: Research, Innovation and Policy. Learn more.
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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 available.
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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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