Three hours of drinking on an especially stressful day “was all it took” to send Dale White’s world spiraling.

What began as one drink ended with White rear-ending a Boynton Beach police officer’s car when he went out for another six-pack. He was just three days shy of finishing probation and nearly five years into recovery.

White first discovered alcohol and marijuana when he was 14. Although White graduated to harder drugs and more serious criminal involvement, he ran a successful restaurant and made a name for himself in the culinary world.

On August 20, 2021, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appointed six state experts to the Florida Commission on Mental Health and Substance Abuse. The commission was established in 1999 by the Florida Legislature as a way to review, evaluate and make recommendations for change to the state systems addressing mental health and substance use,

As Florida State University welcomed back students to campus in August, student organizations and their new leaders are faced with the fun challenge of reconnecting with their peers in person. The FSU College of Social Work is excited to profile the amazing students leading the FSU Student Association of Social Workers (SASW) and the FSU Macro Social Work Student Network (MSWSN) who have dedicated themselves to the busy and ambitious lineup of social, networking and education events for students in the College of Social Work and across campus.

A group of Florida State University researchers is bringing together experts from around the country for a one-day symposium focused on substance use disorder.

Social work student Merari Flores Saldana was awarded the 2021 Scholarship for Students of Color Pursuing Degrees in Mental Health by Mantra Health, a digital mental health clinic that partners with institutes of higher education. In her second year at Florida State University, Merari will graduate with her Master of Social Work with a clinical focus in spring 2022.

The Center for the Study and Promotion of Communities, Families and Children (CFC Center) has continued to develop current partnerships and initiatives, including the Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Program in the Big Bend region and the Florida Higher Education Substance Use Disorder Consortium.

This message to all students, faculty and staff has been approved by President Richard McCullough.

Dear Members of the Florida State University Community,

As we begin the fall semester, I want to welcome our new students, faculty and staff to Florida State University, and welcome back all of those who are returning to campus.

Twenty-one practitioners and researchers across 15 states met for a weeklong workshop to explore effective approaches to criminal justice research and data-driven reform.

The FSU College of Social Work is pleased to welcome our social work students back to campus with a series of events from Sunday, August 22nd through Thursday, August 26th.

Florida State University, a leader in professional development on trauma and resilience, launched a new online curriculum to help higher education professionals develop the tools to help promote campus wellness and better serve students.