USF to advance its position as a leader in mental and behavioral health by creating a new research center named for Sen. Darryl Rouson

By Tina Meketa, University Communications and Marketing

The University of South Florida continues to increase its leadership in addressing the critical mental and behavioral challenges facing the state of Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the intent to establish the Senator Darryl E. Rouson Center for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Research within the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute, part of USF's College of Behavioral and Community Sciences.

The announcement was made during an event held at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine building in downtown Tampa where the governor signed Senate Bill 1620, Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, sponsored by Rouson, which implements several recommendations to address mental health issues in the state. 

“Florida is leading the nation in delivering meaningful solutions to tackle these complex issues and help improve people's lives,” DeSantis said. “As the nation’s largest behavioral health services research institute, the Rouson Center will continue its cutting-edge research to help transform the lives of people struggling with addiction and mental health.” 

The center will conduct rigorous research that will advance the scientific understanding of the relationship between substance abuse and mental health issues, including improving treatment outcomes and reducing the societal impacts of substance abuse and mental health conditions.

“The University of South Florida is where you come for solutions, it’s where you come for action, where you come for impact,” said Mike Griffin, vice chair of the USF Board of Trustees, adding that he and Chair Will Weatherford will bring a future resolution to the board to formally name the center for Rouson.

Rouson has been a champion for USF since being elected to the Florida Legislature in 2008, serving Hillsborough and Pinellas counties – home to USF’s campuses in Tampa and St. Petersburg. He first served as a state representative and was elected to the Florida Senate in 2016, supporting a number of measures, including a resolution during the 2025 legislative session to honor the life and legacy of former USF men’s basketball head coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, who passed away last year. 

As chair of Florida's Commission on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders, he shared with the audience how he overcame his challenges with mental health and how he vividly remembers when he first asked for help 27 years ago.

“I'm very honored for this honor that's been bestowed upon me,” Rouson said. “This legislation is a direct result of the hard work of the commission. It turns thoughtful recommendations into real policy. It will ensure that Florida continues to be a leader in how we treat people living with mental illness, not just in moments of crisis, but across the entire continuum of care.”

The center will build upon the state’s investment in USF’s efforts to address mental health and addiction. During the 2024 legislative session, USF was awarded $5 million in recurring funds to create the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce. 

The legislature also designated Tampa General Hospital as one of the first four behavioral health teaching hospitals in Florida. In February, in partnership with USF Health and Lifepoint Health, Tampa General Hospital opened TGH Behavioral Health Hospital – Florida’s first and only freestanding academic medical center-affiliated behavioral health hospital.

In addition to Senate Bill 1620, at the event DeSantis signed Senate Bill 168, the Tristin Murphy Act, which creates model processes for diverting defendants to mental health treatment. The legislation is named after Tristin Murphy who suffered mental illness and tragically took his own life in a Florida prison in 2021.