Robert M. Friedman
Title: Professor and Interim Dean of the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute
Specialty: Children’s mental health, child policy, research and evaluation methodologies, university/community partnerships, resilience and protective factors for children and families, children’s emotional and behavioral disorders, systems of care, children in poverty, teen violence, kids born to teen parents, substance abuse by children.
Contact Information:
Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute University of South Florida
Phone: (813) 974-4640
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Details:
Topics of expertise:
Children’s mental health, child policy, research and evaluation methodologies, university/community partnerships, resilience and protective factors for children and families, children’s emotional and behavioral disorders, systems of care, children in poverty, teen violence, kids born to teen parents, substance abuse by children.
Educational and professional background:
Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brooklyn College. Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Florida State University. Director of the Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health, one of two such national centers in the country. Has published and presented more than 150 papers and articles. Is one of the originators of a “system of care,” which calls national attention to the social and emotional issues in the lives of children. Co-author of “A System of Care for Children and Youth with Severe Emotional Problems,” which has been widely used around the country to plan service delivery systems. Co-editor of a book entitled Advocacy on Behalf of Children with Serious Emotional Problems.
Highlight your community-oriented grants:
“I have worked for years on issues of family preservation for at-risk populations. I’ve worked with grants from the Anne E. Casey Foundation for national evaluation of systems of care.”
What have you learned from your research that you wish every professional knew?
“The high prevalence of social and emotional problems…there are effective and innovative ways of helping children and families. Too many professionals may be locked into the ‘old map.’ I’d like them to become more family- and strengths-based focused and move away from psychotherapy and more of a holistic approach.”
What have you learned from your research that you wish every student knew?
“Each student needs to know more tolerance and understanding for those with special needs and challenges, and more acceptance of the work of different academic disciplines. I would like students to gain a good concept of how emotional issues affect children and families and realize there are different ways of looking at phenomena. One in five children has an emotional or behavioral problem.”
What do you think is the biggest issue in your field right now?
“Families are not doing well in terms of social and emotional development, academics and connection to community. If it doesn’t improve it not only affects them but society. What we need to do is to take a comprehensive look at helping children and families and committing resources to build strong communities and prevent problems from occurring.”
