Centers

Center Overview

MHLP conducts cutting edge research in areas impacting mental health, substance use, and related policy and legal issues. The Centers listed highlight some of the populations we serve.

Baker Act Reporting Center

The Baker Act Reporting Center (BARC) has received, processed & analyzed statewide involuntary exam data for 20+ years from Baker Act receiving facilities statewide. As of 2018, The BARC receives petitions & orders for involuntary inpatient placement & involuntary outpatient services from Clerks of Court. The BARC will enter data from ~250,000 documents in 2020. The BARC receives forms on behalf of DCF to produce statutorily required reports.

CJMHSA Technical Assistance Center

The Florida legislature designated the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI), as a site for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Technical Assistance Center (CJMHSA TAC). The CJMHSA TAC provides training and technical assistance to grantee communities throughout the state with a focus on improving systems that serve individuals with mental health, substance use, and criminal justice involvement.

FL Center for Behavioral Health Improvements

The Florida Center for Behavioral Health Improvements and Solutions (formally the Florida Medicaid Drug Therapy Management Program for Behavioral Health) is proud to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders to improve the outcomes of adults and children with behavioral health conditions. For more information on our Program, presentation recordings, recorded webinars and psychotherapeutic medication guidelines visit our website below.

Healthy Relationships Lab

The Healthy Relationships Lab studies the co-occurrence of relationship dysfunction and behavioral health challenges in underserved and underrepresented couples, employing various methodological approaches. Our mission is to translate this research into practical interventions that enhance the well-being of marginalized individuals.

Johnson Lab

The Johnson Laboratory refers to a research collective that facilitates rigorous research and training initiatives to improve public health and eliminate health disparities. The lab consists of the Substance Misuse and Addictions Research Traineeship (SMART) funded by a 1.3 million dollar grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, The Adolescent Cognitive Brain Develop Study's Scientific Training in Addiction Research Techniques. (START)

myPATH Collaborative

myPATH is a patient-centered Partnership Addressing Trauma and Healing and consists of a group of individuals with lived experience of trauma, providers, administrators, and researchers who are working together to plan and do research on interventions that will help primary care patients who have experienced traumatic events to improve their physical, mental, and social well-being.

National Center - Homelessness among Veterans

The National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans at the University of South Florida's primary goal is to develop, promote, and enhance policy, clinical care research and education to improve homeless services so that veterans may live as independently and self-sufficiently as possible in a community of their choosing.

STAR Lab

​The mission of the Stigma Action Research (STAR) Lab is to conduct community-engaged research in the area of stigma reduction, with a special emphasis on the stigma surrounding behavioral health conditions, which produces findings and identifies actions leading to real world impact.

Voices of Behavioral Health Lab (VBH)

The Voices of Behavioral Health (VBH) Lab facilitates opportunities for behavioral healthcare agencies to amplify client voices and meaningfully engage clients in measuring the effectiveness and reach of agency services using methods such as Photovoice and participatory evaluation while training the next generation of behavioral health professionals and researchers.