What is BSSM?

The Department of Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine focuses on research, scholarship, teaching, training, clinical care and service that emphasize behavioral, physical, social, and lifestyle factors in health and health outcomes. With our community partners, our work prioritizes impacts on lifespan health from childhood to aging and aims to develop and deploy effective solutions to improve health for all.

Highlighting Postdoc Research Day

We were honored to have Vice President for Research, Stacey Patterson, and Dean Littles join us in celebrating our Postdoc Research Day. It was an exciting opportunity to showcase the incredible research being conducted across our department.

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Dementia Caregiving and Family Estate Planning: Strategies to Prepare Effectively for the Future

The workshop offers practical information about developing a well-rounded estate plan to arrange and protect your family assets. Key topics of the workshop include the importance of estate planning, basics in creating a last will and testament and a living will, pros and cons of trusts, and instructions for using advance directives.

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Importance of Safety and Mental Health in the Workplace

The Florida Chamber Leadership Cabinet on Safety, Health and Sustainability hosted its 2025 Corporate Leadership Workshop on Safety & Mental Health in the Workplace. The workshop featured expert-led discussions by mental health care integration expert Heather Flynn and safety leader Mark Morgan, emphasizing the role leadership plays in fostering safer and healthier workplaces.

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Navigating Florida’s Health Care Landscape

BSSM was honored to host Mary Mayhew, President and CEO of the Florida Hospital Association, for her insightful lecture to our medical students on “Navigating Florida's Health Care Landscape: Challenges, Innovations, and Strategic Opportunities.” Her data-driven presentation examined workforce development, payer models, behavioral health, innovative care solutions, recent legislative changes, and key hospital investments. Attendees gained a comprehensive understanding of these critical issues, as well as valuable strategic insights into the future of Florida's evolving health care system.

Call to Action to Address Maternal Mental Health

The Center for Behavioral Health Integration recently spoke at the “Maternal Mortality Call to Action” webinar hosted by the Florida Hospital Association. Hear from Dr. Cole Greves, MD, reviewing maternal mortality rates, BSSM Department Chair Heather Flynn, Ph.D., highlighting efforts from Florida BH Impact to improve maternal and pediatric access to care and treatment, Lori Shea detailing how Lakeland Regional Health supports maternal patients, and Andrew Reeve from Babyscripts on their mobile solution for reducing maternal mortality.

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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.

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Community Rounds on Highlighting Rare Diseases

BSSM resumes its Community Rounds series with “Highlighting Pediatric Rare Diseases and Community Impacts” on April 3, from 12pm - 1pm EST. The virtual panel of participants includes Pradeep Bhide, Director of the Florida State University Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases, Michele Holbrook, 2023 National Ambassador for the Children's Tumor Foundation, and Yang Hou, Assistant Professor in FSU College of Medicine Behavioral Sciences and Social Medicine.

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