The Florida Legislative Session begins on January 14, 2020. As the president of the National Association of Social Workers Florida Chapter (NASW-FL), I am eager to share this information with you regarding Legislation, Education, and Advocacy Day, or LEAD.  NASW-FL is geared up to advocate and lobby our representatives regarding several important bills that are pertinent to the social work profession and the individuals, families, and communities we serve.

At a Glance Update

The Center for the Study and Promotion of Communities, Families and Children (CFC Center) was created with the support of the Stoops Family Foundation, Inc. in 2017. The purpose of the CFC Center is to generate and sustain translational knowledge for the development of effective policies, services and usable research.

As a Tallahassee native, Hannah Kinnon has always been proud of her hometown. “This city has a small-town community feel, coupled with the political and governmental opportunities a capital city provides,” she explained. “Attending FSU has given me an opportunity to experience a totally different side of my hometown.”

Kinnon began her undergraduate experience at Florida State University (FSU) as an exploratory major, searching for a service-oriented major that would allow her to help others. A friend described her own major in social work, and Kinnon was “captivated.” 

The Charles Koch Foundation has provided a generous gift of over $6.5 million to support the groundbreaking work being conducted at the Institute for Justice Research and Development (IJRD) in the Florida State University College of Social Work.

For the ninth year, the Florida State University College of Social Work will host the CSW Arts & Athletics Program — a free-of-charge, after-school program aimed at fostering positive youth development in Tallahassee. 

Previously a summer program, the 2020 CSW Arts & Athletics Camp will run for eight weeks during the school year. The program will take place Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. beginning Jan. 21 through March 10.

Is a smartphone app the answer to increasing support and improving well-being among individuals under community supervision? A team of researchers led by two Florida State University scholars intends to find out with the help of a $1.9 million grant from the National Institute of Justice.

Florida State University launched the Student Resilience Project in 2018, but its impact is already long-lasting and wide-ranging.

The online toolkit, which teaches students stress reduction techniques and coping skills and provides an interactive platform for learning how to heal from trauma and improve mental health, started as a required course for new FSU students and has grown exponentially.

Carrie Pettus-Davis, the executive director and founder of Florida State University’s Institute for Justice Research and Development, has received the 2019 Marguerite Q. Warren and Ted B. Palmer Differential Intervention Award, presented by the American Society of Criminology.

Originally published in the Tallahassee Democrat here.

Maura’s Voice Research Fund was established by the Binkley family after losing their daughter, Maura Binkley, in the 2018 Hot Yoga Tallahassee shooting, in which FSU Medical School professor Dr. Nancy Van Vessem was also lost, and four other women were wounded. 

National Philanthropy Day (November 15, 2019) is a special day that recognizes the great contributions made by generous people through philanthropy to enrich their community. We want to thank our Friends of the College of Social Work and all the contributions made by our social work family through your time, talents and treasures. Here are some simple ways that you can give where you live!