Faculty & Staff Details
Rene Anderson
Human Services Program Specialist
Division of State and Local Support
Brief Biography
René has been working in the Department of Child & Family Studies, Division of State & Local Support at the Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute as the Statewide Parent Advocate Coordinator/Training Specialist for six years. During that time she has served as:
Technical Assistant
- Parent Recruiter for the Tampa Bay Academy of Hope to address their concerns regarding the school system (2004).
- Peer Mentor to the CMHS-SAMHSA funded grant site in West Palm Beach, Florida through the Technical Assistance Partnership at the American Institutes for Research in Washington D.C. (2000-2004).
Editor
- The Editor of “Getting it Together”, a parent newsletter that reaches over 2000 parents across the state (2003-2005). The newsletter was developed in partnership with the Florida Institute on Family Involvement (FIFI) and the State Mental Health Planning Council and continues with Rene` as an advisor to the project.
Teacher
- Instructor for Children’s Mental Health graduate certificate course with Dr. Robert Friedman, Nathanial Israel, PH. D, Rich Puddy, PH. D and Laurel Friedman. The first ever distant learning course for Children’s mental health at USF. Fall 2006
- Co-teacher undergraduate class at the University of South Florida entitled Behavioral Health Care Issues for Children’s Mental Health” (2004-2006)
Researcher
- A member of the Expert Panel for the Cultural and Linguistic Competence Study, for the National Evaluation of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Services for Children and Their Families Program
- Facilitate Focus Groups across the state for The Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute of the University of South Florida who has a contract with the Florida Department of Children and Families to evaluate the implementation of Florida’s IV-E Waiver demonstration project, effective October 1, 2006. The purpose of this Focus Group is to collect information about how the Florida IV-E Waiver was planned and implemented in your District and how the IV-E Waiver is changing child welfare practice.
- Project Coordinator for the Family Organization Study being conducted by the Research and Training Center for Children’s Mental Health at the University of South Florida. The title of the study is: Examining the Role of Family Organizations in Developing Family Voice in Systems of Care. Kathy Lazear is the PI for this study.
- Interviewer on the Independent Assessment Project in New Jersey as the State moved toward the development of an integrated children’s system (2006).
- Co-Principal Investigator for a project funded by the USF Collaborative for Children, Youth and Families (2003-2004). Project was funded to create and evaluate a curriculum to prepare parents to become effective advocates on state and local boards and committees. Rene` continues to deliver the training upon request from communities as “Parents on a Mission”.
Trainer
- Consultant to the Green Bay, Wisconsin community as they develop a local system of care for children. Provided Parents on a Mission training and co-facilitated cultural competence trainings (2004-2005).
- SED Coordinator for a grant-funded project through St. John’s Progressive Missionary Baptist Church to develop a manual for churches to work effectively with families who have children with SED. Rene` helped to develop the Parent Support component (2003).
Board/Council Member
- A member of the Florida State Mental Health Planning Council since 2000, is the recent Past Chair of the Council, and is currently the Chair of the block grant committee for the council.
- Nominated to National Association of State Mental Health Planning and Advisory Councils Board (2005).
- Board member for DBSA Tampa Bay-Depression Support Alliance (2005- present).
- Board member on the National Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health (2001-2003).
- Former founding President of the local Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health Chapter in Tampa, Florida (1998-2001).
Key Publications
Examining the Relationship between Family-Run Organizations and Non-Family Organization Partners in Systems of Care
Details
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Quick Guide for Self-Assessment of Family-Run Organizations in Systems of Care
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