The College of Social Work at Florida State University is establishing the Justice and Health Innovation Research Institute (JHI) to address disparities between the justice system and the fields of behavioral health and substance abuse care.
The institute will draw from the college’s legacy of scholarship and instruction in substance use, behavioral health and criminal justice.
“We are eager to improve health outcomes and community partnerships that are essential to advancing regional and national health landscapes,” reflected David Springer, dean of the College of Social Work. “This institute tangibly demonstrates the core mission and values of the social work profession while embracing a multidisciplinary approach in order to transform lives and strengthen communities.”
“We are eager to improve health outcomes and community partnerships that are essential to advancing regional and national health landscapes. This institute tangibly demonstrates the core mission and values of the social work profession while embracing a multidisciplinary approach in order to transform lives and strengthen communities.”
— David Springer, dean of the College of Social Work
Tanya Renn, an associate professor at the College of Social Work, will serve as JHI’s founding director, bringing expertise in substance use, health and well‑being and justice research.
“By combining expertise in behavioral health with a deep understanding of justice-involved populations, the institute aims to create pathways of recovery and resilience that honor lived experience, disrupt cycles of justice involvement and foster thriving communities,” Renn said.
The institute’s mission is built upon an integrated approach to:
- Address substance use, mental health and justice involvement, requiring systems-level responses that confront inequality, restore dignity and ensure people have access to the support and opportunities to thrive.
- Advance knowledge with a particular emphasis on evidence-based translational research and interventions in underserved settings and populations.
- Reflect a holistic vision for advancing health and justice in tandem.
- Use science to improve the well-being of individuals, families and communities.
As the institute launches, it will be supported by Stephen Tripodi, a professor at the College of Social Work and doctoral program director, and Program Director Kerensa Lockwood. Additional faculty whose research aligns with the mission of JHI include Assistant Professors, John Moore and JaNiene Peoples.
With a strong passion for using research to address real-world challenges, Tripodi, Lockwood, Peoples and Moore bring deep expertise and commitment to advancing the institute’s mission.
The institute will also advance the goals of FSU Health’s mission — to build a comprehensive health ecosystem. FSU Health includes clinical and research-based centers and institutes that focus on a wide variety of issues affecting health and healthcare.
JHI will expand innovation and public impact at the university, serving as a source for multidisciplinary scholarship, community engagement and policy-relevant intervention development.
“JHI will be a catalyst for new opportunities, not only for research collaboration and funding, but of opportunities for student training in research and practice along with workforce development,” said Yaacov Petscher, associate dean for research, associate director of the Florida Center for Reading Research and professor at the College of Social Work.
To learn more about JHI, contact Tanya Renn at trenn@fsu.edu.