Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce

Florida is facing a critical shortage of school psychologists, limiting student access to behavioral health services at a time when needs are increasing.

That’s why FCBHW is funding a project to strengthen the school-based behavioral health workforce.

Led by the USF College of Education in partnership with Hillsborough County Public Schools, this initiative is developing a competency-based training model that prepares graduate students to deliver evidence-based behavioral health interventions in high-need schools.

The goal is to expand access to care for students while building a stronger, practice-ready workforce for Florida’s schools.

This project is part of FCBHW’s work to grow, retain and innovate Florida’s behavioral health workforce.

Learn more about this project and the six others funded this cycle: https://fcbhw.org/news/2026-research-awards

Principal Investigator: Kahlila Lawrence, PhD
Co-Principal Investigator: Jose Castillo, PhD

NextGenU applications close THIS WEEK!
This program pairs college students with professional mentors in their field of interest to support their journey toward a clinical behavioral health graduate program in Florida.

Don't miss out on this opportunity. Apply before MAY 31.

Mentor Application: https://lnkd.in/eJimAgrk
Mentee Application: https://lnkd.in/e_6sxaBp

The Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce is hiring a Learning Designer II to develop high-quality, media-rich online courses.

This position will lead course development projects from conception to completion. They will produce digital assets and multimedia solutions while adhering to quality standards, student learning outcomes and production timelines. They will work closely with leadership to lead or participate in university initiatives.

If you are passionate about education, design and innovation, we’d love to hear from you.

Hiring behavioral health staff is only part of the challenge. Without strong onboarding and support, many new hires face burnout or leave early.

That’s why FCBHW is funding a project to strengthen workforce retention across Florida.
Led by David Lawrence Centers in partnership with Florida Gulf Coast University, the BOOST project is developing and testing a structured onboarding model for newly hired behavioral health staff.

The goal is to improve early workforce experience, strengthen role clarity and reduce turnover in behavioral health organizations.

This project is part of FCBHW’s work to grow, retain and innovate Florida’s behavioral health workforce.

Learn more about this project and the six others funded this cycle: https://fcbhw.org/news/2026-research-awards

Project Director: Lance Fenton
Principal Investigator: Chih-Chin Chou, PhD, CRC

This Memorial Day, we honor and remember the service members who gave their lives in defense of our country.

At FCBHW, we recognize the importance of ensuring veterans, military families and communities across Florida have access to high-quality behavioral health care and support.

Our mission is to help ensure all Floridians have access to timely, high-quality behavioral health services by strengthening the workforce that provides them.

Wishing everyone a safe and meaningful Memorial Day.

Sign up for our mailing list to be the first to know about FCBHW events, funding opportunities, educational resources, research updates and more!

Many individuals seeking care for depression and anxiety face long wait times before receiving services. For some, that delay leads to worsening symptoms or disengagement from care altogether.

That’s why FCBHW is funding a project to improve access and continuity of care across Florida.

Led by the USF College of Behavioral & Community Sciences in partnership with BayCare Behavioral Health and The George Washington University Center for Global Mental Health, the INTERACT project is testing a model that integrates non-specialist delivered therapy into existing care coordination systems.

The goal is to reduce time to care, improve engagement and strengthen outcomes without increasing demand on an already limited licensed workforce.

This project is part of FCBHW’s work to grow, retain and innovate Florida’s behavioral health workforce.

Learn more about this project and the six others funded this cycle: https://lnkd.in/gCi_Sb85

Co-Principal Investigators:

Jerome T. Galea, PhD

Kristin Kosyluk, PhD

The Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce is hiring a Research Project Manager II to manage and oversee our growing research and program evaluation portfolio.

This position will help coordinate multiple projects across the full research lifecycle, including study design, IRB submission, project implementation and dissemination of findings.

If you are passionate about behavioral health research, program evaluation and systems-level impact, we’d love to hear from you.

Apply by June 4: https://lnkd.in/ey4ntFUh

TOMORROW: Join FCBHW Executive Director Courtney Whitt, PhD and Kathleen Moore, PhD for a free webinar exploring findings from a statewide evaluation of Certified Recovery Peer Specialists in Florida’s substance use system of care.

We're less than one week away from our May webinar!

Join us for an engaging webinar focused on strengthening peer support within Florida’s substance use system of care, featuring Courtney L. Whitt, PhD, and Kathleen Moore, PhD, of the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce at USF.

Dr. Courtney Whitt is a licensed psychologist and Executive Director of the Florida Center for Behavioral Health Workforce, where she leads statewide efforts focused on behavioral health workforce development, integrated care, and improving access to services across Florida.

Dr. Kathleen Moore is a Research Professor at the USF Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute with decades of experience in substance use, mental health research, program evaluation, and recovery-focused systems of care. Her work has helped bridge the gap between research, policy, and real-world community impact.

Together, they’ll explore:
✔️ Findings from a statewide evaluation of Certified Recovery Peer Specialists
✔️ Workforce development and retention challenges
✔️ Strategies to strengthen recovery-oriented systems of care
✔️ The importance of lived experience and community engagement in shaping policy and services

Don’t miss this important conversation.

🎟️ Register today: https://f.mtr.cool/hniuwuefln