2022 ITRE Conference

ITRE

Save the Date for the 2023 ITRE Conference: April 16-18, 2023.
More details coming soon!

The 9th Annual USF Translational Research in Adolescent Drug Abuse conference was held on March 14-16, 2022. The conference focus was on the science and practice of implementing behavioral health services from a multidisciplinary perspective. Content experts who are involved in innovative translational and implementation science research in the areas of health disparities, adolescent drug abuse, and mental health will present on current trends and outcomes in behavioral health services research.

Institute scholars also presented their Service Learning Projects.

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION PANEL
MARCH 15: 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., EST
Community-Engaged Research Approaches to Achieve Behavioral Health Equity for Racial/Ethnic Minority Communities

The Importance of Community-Engaged Research Approaches to Achieve Behavioral Health Equity for Indigenous Populations

Panelist: Julie Baldwin, PhD

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This presentation will focus on community-engaged research approaches that have successfully been utilized to address behavioral health inequities for Indigenous youth and adults. Examples will include a school- and community-based project to reduce HIV/AIDS and substance use among youth, titled the Native American Prevention Project Against AIDS and Substance Abuse (NAPPASA); and a recent COVID-19 project focused on examining mental wellbeing and resilience of AZ Native Nations during the pandemic. Lessons learned and future directions will be discussed.

Panelist Bio:

Dr. Baldwin is a Regent's Professor at Northern Arizona University's College of Health and Human Services and the Director of the Center for Health Equity Research. Her research has focused on alcohol and drug abuse prevention in youth and young adults, utilizing community-based participatory research approaches, working with underserved and/or marginalized populations (particularly American Indian), and addressing health disparities by developing and implementing culturally competent public health interventions. As an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, she has made a life-long commitment to serving diverse communities and to advocating for health promotion programs for children, adolescents and families.

 

Using Community-Engaged Research Strategies to Reduce Disparities in African American and Latinx Communities

Panelist: Kyaien O. Conner, PhD, LSW, MPH

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This presentation will discuss the principles of community-engaged research and how these principles can be utilized to develop successful projects aimed to address behavioral health and health inequities for African American and Latinx communities. Examples will include a community-based clinical trial of the Care Transitions Intervention (CTI) enhanced with peer support to reduce disparities in readmissions and post-discharge outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities; and a project which used storytelling to reduce stigma and improve attitudes toward seeking mental health treatment in the Black community.

Panelist Bio:

Dr. Kyaien Conner is an Associate Professor of Mental Health Law and Policy at the USF. She is a licensed clinical social worker by profession. Dr.  Dr. Conner’s research investigates the factors that influence disparities in health service utilization and treatment outcomes for racial and ethnic minorities, and examines culturally meaningful approaches to improving behavioral health and reducing stigma. Dr. Conner has received over 3 million dollars in funding for her research on behavioral health disparities. She has 50 publications that speak to the impact of her work, and has presented at over 45 scientific conferences in the U.S. and Internationally.


Conference Plenary
Wednesday, March 16, 2022: 8:30 to 9:30 AM

 Overview of Marchman Act Drug Court (MADC): Description, Outcomes, and Lessons Learned

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Presenters:

Kathleen Moore, PhD
Julia Schilling, MPA, CAP
Danielle Hewitt, LMHC
Timothy Gerhardt, BS

This plenary session will present on the Marchman Act Drug Court (MADC). In 2015, SAMHSA funded Hillsborough County’s Thirteenth Judicial Circuit’s MADC to expand substance use treatment in partnership with local treatment providers and USF. Additional federal funding was awarded in 2020, focusing on females at high risk to recidivate. This presentation will describe: (1) MADC program, (2) client outcomes, (3) lessons learned implementing program, (4) current treatment program description, and (5) descriptive information and qualitative data on current MADC grant.

Presenter Bios

Kathleen Moore, PhD

Dr. Moore is a Research Professor in the Department of Mental Health, Law, and Policy at the University of South Florida, College of Behavioral and Community Sciences. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute (FMHI). For the past 18 years, she has collaborated with community-based agencies on numerous projects at the local, state, and national level focused on substance abuse and mental health. Her emphasis has been on project evaluation, bridging the gap between research and practice, and social policy issues such as co-occurring disorders, homelessness, and jail diversion.

Julia Schilling, MPA, CAP 

Julia Schilling is the Director of Problem Solving Courts at the Thirteenth Judicial Circuit Court. Julia is the Project Director for the current and previous Marchman Act Treatment Court grants and plays an instrumental role in the financial and programmatic aspects of these projects. She works closely with the treatment provider, Court, stakeholders, and evaluation team to assist in the success of these grants. Julia is a Certified Addiction Professional and prior to working with the court, worked in substance abuse treatment for close to 10 years.