Recent Publications Page

Check out the updated lists of publications from the Epidemiology Department on the Recent Publications page!

Student Loan Repayment Seminar, 9/30

Do you know how you are going to repay your student loans? Get your questions answered on income-based repayment, consolidation, public service loan forgiveness, deferment & forbearance and more!

Intro to APE/ILE, 10/7

Join the Epidemiology Department for the Introduction to APE/ILE on October 7 from 5-6:30pm.

Opioid Epidemic and Policy: Where have we been and where are we now?, 9/23

Training Description
Systems thinking, especially with simulation models, facilitates understanding of complex health policy problems. Using a simulation model to educate legislators, public health experts, and education leaders about the policies that have the greatest short- and long-term impact on childhood obesity can encourage strategic investment in low-cost, high-return policies. This webinar will feature the Georgia childhood obesity model created by and for legislators and other stakeholders to support dialogue on policy interventions designed to reduce childhood obesity (specifically, BMI for age percentiles). Participants will have the opportunity to explore the model and understand how policies and evidence-based interventions can impact obesity prevalence and costs over time.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the history, policy response, and context of the opioid epidemic and relevance to current and future response.
2. Explain the policy response to the opioid epidemic, and how the SUPPORT Act is guiding the current response.
3. Identify how response to the opioid epidemic as a public health crisis has immediate and broader effects, including both intended and unintended effects from a systems perspective.

To register, click HERE.

Strengths-based Leadership: Creating Workplaces that Work, 10/23

This is an in-person workshop in Sebring, FL.

“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Vibrant workplace culture helps retain staff and improve productivity, while toxic culture does the opposite.

Leaders shape both the direction of their organizations and also shape the culture. Successful leaders are self-aware and recognize their roles in shaping culture. They can identify strengths in themselves and others,
articulate their values, and know how to leverage both to build a productive culture. This workshop uses Gallup’s CliftonStrengths assessment to help emerging and established public health leaders navigate the path of building positive workplace culture through understanding their strengths and values.

Prior to the workshop, all participants will take the CliftonStrengths assessment and receive descriptions of their top five strengths. These results will be discussed in depth during the workshop through the lens of leadership and creating workplace culture. This workshop also includes a deep dive on personal workplace values and use of the Team Strengths Grid, which helps to visualize the collective strengths for teams of all sizes. The workshop will be highly interactive and participatory and will provide avenues to help participants bring CliftonStrengths back to their own teams.

Please note: Participants are required to complete a 35-45 minute online StrengthsFinder test before attending this workshop. Detailed instructions will be provided via email two weeks prior to the class.

To register, click HERE.

The Role of Cultural Competence and Humility in Addressing Mental Health, 9/25

Training Description
Fran T. Close, Ph.D., is full Professor of Behavioral Science and Health Education in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences/Institute of Public Health at Florida A&M University (FAMU). An accomplished public health researcher with a focus on community based participatory research in underserved communities. Dr. Close has been the principal investigator or co-principal investigator on grants totaling over $4 million during her tenure at FAMU. Her research interests are in the area of racial disparity issues in Women’s Health and Maternal, Child and Infant Health. Currently, she serves on the United Way of the Big Bend’s Board of Directors. In addition, Dr. Close is the past Chair of the United Way’s Health Council, where they explored mental health in the Tallahassee community as well as dental programs for school age children in Leon and Gadsden Counties. Dr. Close is a member of the Mental Health Council of the Big Bend, where she serves as the Chair of the ENGAGE community focusing on stigma of mental health in the African American community.

Dr. Close holds a doctorate degree in Pharmacology/Toxicology from Florida A&M University and a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Biological Science from Florida State University.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

Apply cultural competence and cultural humility to public health practice
Understand how mental health and the stigma impacts communities
Understand how mental health conditions adversely impact maternal health

To register, click HERE.