Florida State University and Apalachee Center enter partnership to advance behavioral health research

Florida State University and Apalachee Center have established a new partnership to improve mental health care across the state, with a particular focus on Northwest Florida.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the two institutions unites Apalachee Center’s more than 80 years of hands-on experience serving individuals living with mental illness and substance use disorder with Florida State University’s 175-year legacy of academic and research excellence. It also complements the university’s work through FSU Health to expand access and quality care across the state.

Together, the organizations will collaborate on large-scale research initiatives – leveraging Apalachee Center’s role as the region’s largest provider of mental health care and the internationally recognized expertise of FSU’s behavioral health researchers – with one shared goal: to deepen the understanding of mental illness and behavioral health challenges and advance the development of more effective treatments.

Through the agreement, Apalachee Center and FSU will:

• Collaborate on research to better understand the causes and effective treatments for behavioral health issues and mental illness
• Share insights and information in a safe and secure way to better understand community needs
• Develop joint initiatives that bring academic expertise and community care together

“Without question, the people of Florida will benefit from this partnership through the development of effective and innovative mental health services that improve lives,” said Dr. Alma Littles, dean of the FSU College of Medicine. “Working together, we will build upon the positive impact of FSU Health to create healthy, resilient communities.”

FSU’s behavioral health researchers span multiple units across the university including the College of Medicine, College of Arts and Sciences and College of Social Work, bringing a wide research perspective to the issue.

The partnership will support new initiatives in Leon and Bay counties, as well as across Florida, to expand access to and delivery of high-quality mental health services.

“This strategic endeavor will use de-identified anonymous data to study behavioral health trends and outcomes” said Dr. Jay Reeve, President and CEO of Apalachee Center. “For decades, behavioral health clinicians and researchers everywhere have been focused on ensuring that behavioral health treatments have replicable, positive outcomes that follow the science. This partnership is a crucial step in that direction for university researchers, providers and most importantly the residents of North Florida who rely on access to quality behavioral healthcare.”

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About Florida State University

Florida State University is a top public research university that is recognized nationally for its academic excellence, student success and robust research enterprise. Niche ranked FSU No. 11 on its list of America’s top public universities, and U.S. News & World Report has ranked FSU among the Top 25 public universities for seven consecutive years, driven by student retention and graduation rates that are among the best in the country. Celebrated for its entrepreneurial culture and forward-thinking approach, FSU is also ranked as one of the nation’s Most Innovative Schools.

About Apalachee Center

Since 1948, Apalachee Center, a private, not-for-profit organization, has been dedicated to supporting the mental health and recovery of individuals and families across Leon, Franklin, Gadsden, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, and Wakulla Counties succeed in recovering from emotional, psychiatric and substance use disorder crises. For more information, visit ApalacheeCenter.org.