News & Upcoming Events
2024 NEWS
CFS Associate Professor to Meet Ambassador of France to the U.S.
Tammy Jorgensen Smith is an associate professor in the Department of Child and Family Studies Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling program.
Students Explore Field Experience Opportunities at CRMHC Fair
The fair provides an opportunity for students in the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling (CRMHC) program to learn about placement partnerships.
2023 News
Congratulations 2023 CRMHC Graduates!
The 2023 graduate cohort from the Clinical Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling
(CRMHC) Master's Program is not a typical cohort, according to CRMHC Program Director
and Professor Chih-Chin Chou.
CRMHC Associate Professor to Serve as Journal's Associate Editor
Tammy Jorgensen Smith, PhD, CRC has been invited to serve as an associate editor for Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences.
Mental Health & Wellness in the Workplace Course: Registration Open!
CRMHC Associate Professor Amanda DePipplo is among the speakers of this course that introduces the business case for addressing mental health and wellness in the workplace.
Former Instructor Creates a Lasting Legacy with Endowed Scholarship in CRMHC
After 15 years as an instructor in the University of South Florida (USF) Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling (CRMHC) program, Dae Sheridan’s name will continue to be recognized by faculty, students, and staff in CRMHC forever.
Celebrating 50 years of CRMHC: Meet one of the Program’s First Graduates
When the very first cohort of rehabilitation counseling students at the University of South Florida (USF) graduated, among them was Erio Alvarez, a recent veteran whose degree would advance his trailblazing career in corrections.
CRMHC's Richard Weinberg, PhD, Recognized for Exemplary Teaching
Weinberg was commended for his effective teaching, innovation, and commitment to students and their success.
2022 News
Clinical Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling Celebrates 50 Years
Even in its fifth decade, the CRMHC continues to grow and evolve.
The resource library was developed to provide scholars in the Behavioral Health Workforce Education & Training Program at USF access to interdisciplinary resources to enhance knowledge and support their training in the program.
Graduates from the Clinical Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program at USF recently presented at the Maximizing Employment for Individuals with Disabilities: 4th Statewide Conference Focused on Advancing Employment For Persons with Disabilities.
CRMHC Students Receive People’s Choice Award from the USF Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium
Congratulations to RMHC students Callie Hill, Jessica Klein and Kevin Spath who won in the Social & Behavioral Sciences (including Education) category.
Beginning Fall 2022, a new fully online Master of Arts in Rehabilitation Counseling and Disability Sciences (RCDS) will be offered at USF to meet the increasing demand for Certified Rehabilitation Counselors to work with persons with physical, mental, emotional, and chemical disabilities.
As the national, self-regulatory body for the vocational rehabilitation (VR) profession, CVRP's primary function is to ensure their members are qualified, competent and following clearly defined standards of practice and ethics.
Instructor Jill Heilman Profiled as USF Boundless Bull
She is a driving force behind the creation of the new Rehabilitation Counseling and Disability Sciences online master’s program, which prepares students for careers as rehabilitation counselors and professional disability specialists. She plans to share the stories of her children and invite other guest speakers with disabilities to speak with classes in the program to help end the stigma and stereotypes that those with disabilities face.
RMHC Hosts Coffee Hour with Fulbright Scholar
Fulbright Scholar Dr. Ming Hung Wang, CRC shared the history of disability rights movement in Taiwan along with the evolution of the special education and vocational rehabilitation systems, both modeled after systems in the United States.
CFS/RMHC Professor Marilyn Stern Honored as AAAS Fellow
Dr. Stern is recognized for her distinguished contributions to the field of psychology, particularly for development of parent-involved interventions for obese children and adolescents, pediatric cancer survivors, and at-risk youth.
CFS Associate Professor/ RMHC Program Director Contributes to Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program
The committee is organized by the Institute of International Education and encompass the diversity of U.S. academia.
News Archives
2021 NEWS
The Dr. Linda Callejas Scholarship was awarded to Florez in tribute of Dr. Callejas’ work in community-derived and defined programming for diverse U.S. Latinx communities.
CFS and RMHC Welcome Fulbright Scholar Dr. Ming Hung Wang
As a Fulbright Scholar, Dr. Wang will explore the latest developments and applications
of technology (including AI) in rehabilitation and what the possible impacts are on
the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Associate Professor Tina Dillahunt-Aspillaga Named 2021 Fellow of the American Congress
of Rehabilitation Medicine (FACRM)
She was recognized for her outstanding record of professional service to ACRM and
for the nationally significant contributions she has made to the field of medical
rehabilitation by conferring on her the designation of ACRM Fellow.
New Scholarship Opportunity for CBCS Students in Rehabilitation and Mental Health
Counseling and Social Work
Master’s students enrolled in the College of Behavioral & Community Sciences's Rehabilitation
and Mental Health Counseling and Social Work programs are among students eligible
to apply for the new Behavioral Health Workforce Education & Training Scholar (BHWET)
Program at USF.
Associate Professor Christina Dillahunt-Aspilla to Guide Development of Nebrask TBI
Statewide Demonstration Project
The project will develop a training curriculum for the staff of Nebraska Vocational
Rehabilitation and Supported Employment providers.
RMHC 2021 Speaker Series on Race & Counseling
View speaker info and recordings of the presentations hosted by the Rehabilitation
& Mental Health Counseling Program.
Associate Professor Christina Dillahunt-Aspillaga Appointed to CRCC Ethics Committee
The Committee provides advisory opinions on select situations having ethical implications.
Her term will run from May 15, 2021 – December 31, 2023.
Professor Marilyn Stern Invited to Present at National Center for Complementary and
Integrative Health Hot Topic Webinar Series
The event was part of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
(NCCIH) Hot Topic Webinar series and is being held in commemoration of National Minority
Health Month.
CFS Research and Grant Activity Shows Impressive Results for Current Fiscal Year
Although the fiscal year for USF does not end until June 30, CFS research and grant
activity already shows an impressive effort among faculty and staff who participate
in high-impact research and innovation to change lives, improve health, and foster
sustainable development and positive societal change.
Associate Professor Tina Dillahunt-Aspillaga Co-authors Article on Traumatic Brain
Injury in the Military and Veteran Unemployment
The article focuses on return to work as an important reintegration outcome for veterans
and service members with traumatic brain injury.
Hot off the Press: CFS Impact Report
The Impact Report provides a general overview and highlights accomplishments of our
academic programs, research, and technical assistance initiatives.
2020 NEWS
New Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy
The program is an expansion of the successful MFT Graduate Certificate which enables
professionals in mental health, rehabilitation counseling, counselor education, social
work, psychology, and other human service fields to enhance their knowledge and skills
in marriage and family therapy.
New Requirement for Registered MFT and CMHC Interns
Recently the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT)
, and Clinical Mental Health Counseling (MHC) has updated the new requirement for
registered MFT and CMHC interns. Please click on the link to find the new requirement.
The RMHC program continues to offer curriculum that meets the coursework requirement
for both MFT and MHC registered intern.
RMHC Receives 2nd 5-Year Grant Providing Scholarship Opportunities for Master's Students
The federal long-term training grant will increase the number of highly qualified
rehabilitation counselors available to work within the vocational rehabilitation system.
Faculty Create A Minute for Minute Health Videos During COVID-19 Pandemic
Faculty within the USF College of Behavioral & Community Sciences have a broad range
of expertise in many areas of behavioral science, focusing on individuals, families,
communities, and schools, and examining the problems and challenges people encounter,
as well as their need for clinical and supportive services.
Dr. Ryan Henry Receives Dean's Outstanding Service Award
The award is given to CBCS faculty who have demonstrated outstanding service to the
Department, College, University, Profession, and/or the local community.
Dr. Tina Dillahunt-Aspillaga Selected to Serve on USF Faculty Senate
The Faculty Senate is the primary faculty advisory body to the USF President, Provost,
and Vice President for Health on all matters that pertain to the academic climate
of the university.
2019 NEWS
RMHC Program Ranks Among U.S. News & World Report's Best Graduate Schools for Rehabilitation
Counseling.
As part of the U.S. News & World Report's release of Best Graduate Schools 2020, RMHC
was among several graduate programs at USF to make the high ranking.
2018 NEWS
As a faculty member in the Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program in the USF Department of Child and Family Studies, Dr. Dillahunt-Aspillaga focuses on the rehabilitation and community reintegration of civilians, service members, and veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury.
Dr. William Kearns Interviewed by Tampa's Bay News 9 about Technology to Reduce Falls
in Older Adults
Dr. Kearns was interviewed on May 8, 2018 by Dr. Randy Shuck of Spectrum News Bay
News 9 about his novel technology for predicting falls in older adults using a form
of radar and higher-order mathematics known as fractals.
Dr. Chih-Chin Chou Selected for Fulbright Award to Taiwan
Her research will take place at the College of Indigenous Studies of the National
Dong Hwa University (NDHU) in Hualien, Taiwan, where she will address the needs of
the indigenous Taiwanese population with disabilities.
Dr. Tina Dillahunt-Aspillaga Serves as Co-editor on a Special Supplement of the Archives
of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
The special issue consists of articles that represent current thinking about community
reintegration (CR) and lays the groundwork for testing interventions to improve CR
outcomes for veterans and service members.
2017 NEWS
Council on Rehabilitation Education Board Extends Accreditation Period of USF's RMHC
Program to 2024
The Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Program at USF is dual accredited
by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP)
and the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), which prepares RMHC students to
become licensed mental health counselors and certified rehabilitation counselors.
USF's Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling Practicum Fair A Great Success
Many thanks to each of the practicum sites who attended the Rehabilitation and Mental
Health Counseling Field Placement Fair February 22. What a great turnout!
Drs. Tammy Jorgensen Smith and Christina Dillahunt-Aspillaga Receive Funding to Improve
Employment Outcomes for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Given early evidence regarding the promise of customized interventions by community-based
Vocational Rehabilitation service practitioners, the ACCESS intervention has the potential
to yield far-reaching benefits.
2016 NEWS
RMHC Master's Students Receive John A. Orphanidys Scholarship Award
Congratulations to Rehabilitation & Mental Health Counseling master's students Claudia
Cordero and Suresh Lama Tamang for being awarded the John A. Orphanidys Scholarship
Award, sponsored by the Florida Chapter of the International Association of Rehabilitation
Professionals (IARP).
CACREP and CORE Joint Accreditation Review Process Successfully Completed for RMHC
The USF Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling (M.A.
degree) program now joins a handful of other higher education programs across the
United States in successfully completing the joint review process offered as part
of the 2013 affiliation agreement between the Council on Rehabilitation Education
(CORE) and the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs
(CACREP).
VA Smart Home Project Team & RMHC Faculty William Kearns Place Third in National Competition
The National Brain Trust competition was part of a summit hosted by the U.S. Department
of Veterans Affairs' Center for Innovation to help facilitate national, partnership-based
solutions in the general areas of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), and Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD).
RMHC Alumni Ana Aluisy Releases New Book: Reinvent Your Relationship: A Therapist's
Insights to Having the Relationship You've Always Wanted
Ana has been featured as an expert in numerous media outlets and has helped hundreds
of individuals and couples improve their relationships.
RMHC Faculty Member Aaron Norton Receives Counselor Educator of the Year Award from
FMHCA
The Florida Mental Health Counselors Association (FMHCA) conference was held in Lake
Mary February 4 – 6, 2016.
2015 NEWS
Dr. William Kearns Delivers Prestigious Mitchell Rosenthal Memorial International
Webinar
The webinar is part of the the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA), the country's
oldest and largest nationwide brain injury advocacy organization.
USF Florence Italy Study Abroad Program Gets Intimate with Relationships
What better location than Florence Italy to take an Intimate Relationships course?
The course, which is taught by Dr. Rick Weinberg, Associate Professor in the USF Rehabilitation
and Mental Health Counseling Program, is part of the USF in Florence Summer Study
Abroad Program.
CFS/RMHC Faculty Receive $1 Million Long-term Training Grant
Tammy Jorgensen-Smith, PhD (PI) and Christina Dillahunt-Aspillaga, PhD (CI) have received
a $1 million long-term training grant from the Rehabilitation Service Administration,
US Department of Education to promote the recruitment, training and development of
highly-qualified rehabilitation counselors to meet the high demand for public sector
providers of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services.
More RMHC and CFS Department news can be found here.