Research & Training

CFS Research and Training Activities by Topic: Workforce Development

Current or recent research and training activities related to workforce development include:

Access Vets

The ACCESS-Vets study is evaluating the impact of a proven customized employment service on employment rates of Veterans with spinal cord injury (SCI) who have not been successful with other vocational service options. Results will guide research and practices for adoption of ACCESS-Vets as part of the Veterans Health Administration’s vocational services to improve employment outcomes for Veterans with SCI. 

Contact: Areana Cruz, PhD/Tina Dillahunt-Aspillaga, PhD/Tammy Jorgensen-Smith, PhD
Funder: James A Haley Veteran’s Hospital

Institute for Translational Research Education in Adolescent Drug Abuse (ITRE)

ITRE is a unique opportunity for graduate students in behavioral health to learn and apply the principles of implementation science to community based service providers. Through a graduate certificate program, scholars gain experience in the use and application of evidence based practices, and the practical aspects of improving services in real world communities. Student tuition, books, and service learning costs are covered by federal funding.

Contact: Oliver T Massey, PhD
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse/National Institutes 
of Health

Project EBAS: Enhancing Behavior Analytic Services for Children with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This projectprepares school-based behavior analysts and school psychologists to improve the quality of behavior intervention services for school-age children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD). The focus is to provide a high-quality training program to selected Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) Master’s Program and School Psychology Educational Specialist (EdS) program students to work together with educators as a team member to support children with severe EBD. The project will be carried out in collaboration between the ABA Master’s program and the School Psychology EdS Program at the University of South Florida and in partnership with four local school districts.

Contact: Kwang-Sun Blair, PhD
Funder: U.S. Department of Education

Project iSED: Advancing Interdisciplinary Services for Students with Severe Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Project iSED provides training, coursework, mentorship, and fieldwork experience to students in the masters program in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Social Work (SW). Through various experiences students selected for the project (i.e., scholars) gain the skills necessary to work, following graduation, in school settings, serving school-aged children who engage in challenging behavior. During their time enrolled in Project iSED, scholars gain additional knowledge in school-based interventions and learn to collaborate with other professionals in designing interventions for the children they serve.

Contact: Catia Cividini-Motta, PhD
Funder: U.S. Department of Education

Project STARS (Scholars in Teaching, Applied Research, and Service)

This training and mentoring grant prepares the next generation of school psychology professors in the implementation of Multi-Tiered Systems of Supports (MTSS). This effort is coordinated through the School Psychology Program in the College of Education at USF and represents collaboration among several USF partners such as Florida Center for Inclusive Communities, Institute for School Reform, and Rightpath Research & Innovation Center, as well as with the University of Wisconsin (UW)-Madison.

Contact: Trina Spencer, PhD
Funder: U.S. Department of Education

Rehabilitation Counseling Master’s Degree Program—A Solution to Personnel Shortages in the Florida Public Vocational Rehabilitation System

This project promotes recruitment, training, and development of highly qualified rehabilitation counselors to meet the high demand for public sector providers of Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services.

Contact: Christina Dillahunt-Aspillaga, PhD
Funder: U.S. Department of Education