BREAKING NEWS Temple University receives $4.375 million for research center on community inclusion

PHILADELPHIA - Oct. 5, 2018 - PRLog -- • 5-year federal funding extends the internationally-known research efforts of the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion (www.tucollaborative.org) that was first funded in 2003
• Cutting-edge intervention research focuses on enhancing use of public transportation, academic success of college students with serious mental illnesses, and supporting positive parent-child interactions
• Additional studies examine the extent to which programs for young adults with psychotic disorders promote work, school, and other participation andcommunity inclusion in rural areas of Pennsylvania
• Funding supports novel efforts to translate research findings into rapid mental health policy, program, and practice changes

Philadelphia, PA (October 5, 2018) – Temple University has received a $4.375 million grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research for a five-year Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) to enhance knowledge about community participation (e.g., work, education, parenting, dating, religious participation, etc.) of adults with serious mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression) and assist policymakers and providers in using this knowledge to enhance services. This funding extends the activities of the Temple University Collaborative on Community Inclusion (www.tucollaborative.org) that was first funded in 2003. Over its 15 years of existence, Center investigators have 449 peer-reviewed publications and have given 932 presentations at various conferences and events in nearly every U.S. state and around the world, including Bosnia, Israel, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and England, reaching more than 43,000 individuals.

The efforts of this RRTC support the goals of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the U.S. Supreme Court's Olmstead Decision – which made it clear that governments are required to support people with serious mental illnesses in the community rather than in institutions, and President Bush's New Freedom Initiative.

"Community inclusion, such as work, going to school and church, and engaging in recreational activities, is a medical necessity for those with serious mental illnesses, in that it promotes physical, cognitive, and mental health and wellness," says Dr. Mark Salzer, a psychologist and Director of the Center. "We are excited about the many impacts we have seen as a result of our innovative work over the past 15 years in numerous states and cities around the country, and within the Veterans Administration, as well as around the world, and are excited to continue our cutting–edge research efforts and ensuring that our work has a maximum impact on the field to improve the lives of people with serious mental illnesses."

For further information contact Dr. Mark Salzer at 215-204-7879 or msalzer@temple.edu