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Press Release
Focusing on the Study and Promotion of Behavioral Health Policy: A New Name for Community Rehabilitation Division
January 10, 2003
The University of Arizona's School of Public Administration and Policy research unit formerly known as the Community Rehabilitation Division will be renamed and redefined as the Applied Behavioral Health Policy Division (ABHP), effective January 1, 2003. This change in name reflects a refocusing of the unit's mission, bringing about an even greater alignment with the mission of the Eller College of Business and Public Administration and the School of Public Administration and Policy.
The Applied Behavioral Health Policy Division focuses on policy-relevant work that promotes excellence in behavioral health services in Arizona, within the southwest, and throughout the nation. ABHP generates in excess of $1.25 million annually, ranking it as one of the most prolific research centers in Eller College. From its off-campus location on Fourth Avenue, ABHP engages in cutting edge research in the areas of behavioral health policy development, analysis and diffusion.
"The breadth of the focus of the ABHP unit remains the same: to promote the development of capacity, infrastructure, and excellence in the services and support available to persons with behavioral health needs that allow them to live, work, and play in their community" said director Michael S. Shafer, Ph.D.
The Applied Behavioral Health Policy Division concentrates on outcome studies of various programming models for treating homeless individuals, substance abusers and individuals with other psychiatric and behavioral health impairments. Recently, ABHP has been involved in evaluating the effectiveness of jail diversion programming for persons with co-occurring disorders; stimulating educational and training opportunities for behavioral health clinicians to better serve individuals with co-occurring disorders; evaluating housing and residential services for homeless mentally ill individuals; and facilitating a community-wide consensus process to promote better integration between local law enforcement entities and behavioral health agencies.
ABHP regularly supports three or four graduate research assistantships from the School of Public Administration and Policy's Masters of Public Administration Program (MPA). Currently, second-year student Jason Cianciotto is conducting a survey of drug court judges in a three-state region. MPA alumnus Ken O'Day conducted a survey of law enforcement officers that is currently under review for journal publication and assisted in writing a Federal grant that was funded and now supports his full-time appointment in ABHP.
Shafer also teaches Public Administration 505: Methods of Program Evaluation, a core course in the MPA curriculum. This dynamic course exposes students to real-life program evaluations with local units of government, as well as private, non-profit entities, through team projects akin to many of Eller's MBA programs. Last year, PA 505 students conducted program evaluations for the Tucson Urban League, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Tucson Audubon Society, the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation, the City of Tucson's Human Resources Department and Catholic Community Serviced of Southern Arizona, Inc.
"While our name has changed, our mission has not," said Shafer, "nor has our commitment to the state and its citizenry, particularly those with behavioral health needs."
The Eller College of Management at the University of Arizona is internationally recognized for pioneering research, innovative curriculum, distinguished faculty, excellence in management information systems, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Eller undergraduate program #14 among public business schools and three of its programs are among the top 20 — Entrepreneurship, MIS, and Management. U.S. News & World Report ranks the Eller MBA Full-Time program #44 in the U.S. and #21 among public business schools. The College leads the nation’s business schools in generating grant funds for research. In addition to a Full-Time MBA program, the Eller College offers an Evening MBA program and the Eller Executive MBA. The Eller College of Management supports approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 700 graduate students on the UA campus in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.
Press Contact:
Liz Warren-Pederson, Eller College of Management
520.626.9547, news@eller.arizona.edu
For additional information, please contact us.
