What is BSSM?

Behavioral Science (BS) is the study of when and why individuals engage in specific behaviors by experimentally examining the impact of factors such as conscious thoughts, motivation, social influences, contextual effects, and habits. Social Medicine (SM) is an interdisciplinary field that focuses on the profound interplay between socio-economic factors and individual health outcomes.

5th annual “Be Kind to Your Mind” Mental Health & Wellness Fair

BSSM is joining forces with the Mental Health Council of the Big Bend to host their 5th annual “Be Kind to Your Mind” Mental Health & Wellness Fair. This year's theme is "Moving from Awareness to Action" and will focus on the link between physical and mental well-being. The event will be held at the Walker Ford Community Center on May 16 at 5:30pm to 8:00pm. Attendees can enjoy free food, music, mental health resources, and a variety of activities for all ages.

Register Here

Regulatory Issues in HIV Electronic Health Records

BSSM Center for Translational Behavior Science (CTBS) team members, led by Sara Green, MSW, alongside Samantha Chahin, MPH, Meardith Pooler-Burgess, DrPH, and Professor Sylvie Naar, Ph.D., published in JMIR a manuscript titled “Regulatory Issues in Electronic Health Records Adolescent HIV Research: Strategies and Lessons Learned.” In this paper, Green’s team discussed electronic health records as a cost-effective approach to providing necessary foundations for clinical trial research, as well as highlighting challenges of the regulatory process in the implementation of utilizing electronic health records in adolescent HIV research.

Read The Manuscript Here

Harmology Workshop: Understanding How Helping Can Cause Harm

The BSSM Center for Behavioral Health Integration is proud to host an upcoming discussion with Motivational Interviewing & Beyond titled “Harmology: Understanding How Helping Can Cause Harm,” featuring MI co-developer Dr. Steve Rollnick and MI pioneer Dr. Joel Porter. Tune in on Zoom for this virtual workshop taking place on April 23, at 2pm EST.

Register Here

Tackling Mental Health Challenges at Collaborative Collision

Professor and Mina Jo Powell Endowed Chair in Neurological Sciences, Dr. Andrew Kozel, M.D., gave a talk on mental and behavioral health at the FSU Office of Research’s Collaborative Collision event in March. Kozel’s lecture provided an overview of how far the field has come and challenges that continue to face the research community.

Learn More About the Event

ADvancing interRAI: Using Better Data, Better

BSSM faculty members Jeffrey Harman, Ph.D., Samantha Goldfarb, Dr.PH., M.P.H., Katelyn Graves, Ph.D. and Jon Mills, Ph.D., M.B.A. introduce ADvancing interRAI. This new initiative is building shared infrastructure that supports state efforts to improve how they assess people and provide them Home and Community Based Services using the interRAI Home Care system, to assign resources and use data for policy and program improvement.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT, CLICK HERE

Flynn Links Antenatal Anxiety as Postpartum SI Predictor

Department Chair Heather Flynn, Ph.D., co-authored a journal article titled “Antenatal Anxiety Symptoms Outperform Antenatal Depression Symptoms and Suicidal Ideation as a Risk Factor for Postpartum Suicidal Ideation.” During this study on suicidal ideation (SI), Flynn’s team identified antenatal anxiety symptoms to outperform the previous leading risk factor, antenatal depression symptoms, as a predictor of SI during a mother’s postpartum phase.

Link to Journal Article

AHEC Hosting Tobacco Education Conference

College of Medicine’s Area Health Education Center will hold a Tobacco Education Conference on May 16-17, at the Key West Marriot Beachside Hotel. Registration for the conference will include a fee of $185. AHEC encourages individuals who wish to receive education on prevention of tobacco usage to sign-up for the conference on its website before registration closes on April 30th.

conference registration

Uniting Minds to Combat Mental Health Crisis

BSSM Department Chair Heather Flynn, and President of the International Society for Interpersonal Psychotherapy (ISIPT), hosted the 10th Biennial ISIPT Conference in Newcastle UK this week. Interpersonal psychotherapy is an evidence-based treatment for mental health disorders being used around the world. Over 200 participants from 32 countries shared information on research and treatment to help combat the global mental health crisis.

conference highlights