HDOSE Faculty Research and Initiatives Support School and Community Safety and Health
HDOSE Faculty Research and Initiatives Support School and Community Safety and Health
Through innovative research and dedicated efforts, School of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education (HDOSE) faculty members are making significant strides in improving safety, security, and health in schools and communities.
Dr. Melissa Mariani, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, recently published a study titled “The Importance of Prevention in School Safety Planning and Response” in the Journal of School Health. The study emphasizes the need for comprehensive school safety plans that include student-centered approaches addressing social, emotional, and behavioral well-being along with appropriate student support and discipline strategies and well-defined target hardening, threat assessment, and reporting measures.
“School safety requires more than reactive measures—it demands proactive, evidence-based interventions. Research shows that integrating mental health services, social-emotional learning, and positive behavioral supports, alongside threat assessment creates safer, more supportive environments.“ said Dr. Mariani. ” A multi-tiered approach fosters a positive climate, intervenes early, and reduces both daily harm and extreme incidents.”
In addition, Dr. Laura Shannonhouse, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, has been invited to serve as a Scientific Advisor for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention. Dr. Shannonhouse’s work aims to understand and improve system level responses and outcomes for those struggling with suicidality (i.e. school, aging, and university systems), and improve responses and outcomes with those impacted by disaster. She recently trained 60 of our graduate students in the evidence-based suicide intervention ASIST.
“Within a week of being trained our students reported providing 3 suicide interventions to persons at risk” said Dr. Shannonhouse. “It is really touching research as we track the fidelity of intervention components as well as intervention outcomes, while simultaneously wrapping what we learn back into the teaching and preparation of our students.”
This work complements ongoing efforts by Dr. F. Chris Curran, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy, who has collaborated with non-profit partners, including Safe Schools for Alex, to create a statewide Florida school safety data dashboard. This innovative tool provides valuable data to improve safety measures in schools across the state.
“Our collaboration with Safe Schools for Alex has enabled us to develop a comprehensive data dashboard that helps schools identify and address safety concerns,” said Dr. Curran. “By leveraging data and engaging with public audiences, we can enhance the safety and security of our schools.”
The Director of the School of Human Development and Organizational Studies in Education also expressed pride in these achievements. “HDOSE is centered around ensuring that educational environments are conducive to learning and can increase learning,” said the Director. “The work of our faculty to improve safety and health are wonderful examples of how our work continues to improve educational conditions to bolster learning.”
About HDOSE
HDOSE faculty research and teach the foundations and structures of educational and community systems for people to thrive in their learning and development. We cultivate researchers, leaders, counselors, and administrators, empowering them to make evidence-based decisions that enhance human potential and educational growth.
To learn more about HDOSE degree programs, click here.
Note. This HDOSE highlights story was written using generative AI-assistance.
