Faculty from the Child & Family Behavioral Health (CFBH) division in the Department of Child and Family Studies presented at the Florida Behavioral Health Conference, held Aug. 20–22 in Orlando.
Cathy Sowell, MSW, LCSW, associate in research and co-director of CFBH, and Roxann Taormina, PhD, MSW, assistant research professor, led a collaborative workshop addressing challenges in Florida’s clinical social work licensure process. The session, "The ASWB Exam: Engaging Florida Social Workers in Collective Action Planning," is part of a broader study funded by the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce at the University of South Florida.
Participants in the workshop — clinical social workers and other behavioral health professionals — worked to identify factors contributing to low exam pass rates, shared existing support strategies for clinical social work interns, and developed recommendations for improving the licensure pathway. In 2023, only 54% of first-time Florida test-takers passed the clinical social work licensing exam, compared to a 74% national pass rate. Disparities in outcomes related to race, ethnicity, age, and primary language persist.
The ongoing study also includes statewide surveys, interviews, and focus groups with registered interns, social work interns, Master of Social Work students, and faculty from Florida’s 12 accredited schools. Findings will inform future efforts to improve licensure readiness and strengthen the state’s behavioral health workforce.
Also presenting were Anna Abella, PhD, assistant research professor, and Areana Cruz, PhD, social and behavioral research associate. Their session, "Integrating Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Assessment and Treatment into Pediatric Primary Care: Florida’s Pediatric Behavioral Health Collaborative," highlighted the Florida Pediatric Behavioral Health Collaborative (FPBHC)’s structure, impact, and outcomes.
FPBHC launched in 2018 by the Florida Department of Health in partnership with universities and care providers, integrates behavioral health services into pediatric primary care. Through Behavioral Health Hubs and pediatric access teams, the program offers consultation, care coordination, and provider training. To date, it has supported more than 6,400 clients.