About the Institute
The award-winning Institute for Trauma & Resilience Studies (ITRS) within Florida State University’s College of Social Work serves as a bridge between scholarly research and the multidisciplinary professionals who need knowledge and skills to build a safer, healthier world. We leverage technology to build large-scale online trainings for a wide range of professionals, publish solution-focused research, and serve as a global resource on issues related to trauma and resilience. Our research-based projects build professionals’ capacity to support behavioral health and well-being for both themselves and their clients across the lifespan.
ITRS activities include:
- Building online, interactive research-based training curricula. We augment the knowledge base on issues including supervised visitation, police and first responders' mental health, co-parenting, trauma-informed approaches across the lifespan, student-focused wellbeing, and child welfare;
- Promoting effective policy and legislative solutions for reducing intimate partner violence and advocating for healthy individuals and families at all stages of life;
- Collaborating with state, national, and international organizations to create collective multidisciplinary success and transformative change;
- Mentoring students in a supportive environment and building their leadership skills that translate into workplace success;
- Maintaining extensive online resources on ITRS projects.
ITRS has been recognized by multiple groups for its innovative work. In addition to receiving the American Association of University Administrators' John L. Blackburn Award for Solutions to Campus Problems and the Association of Family & Conciliation Courts' Meyer Elkin Award, ITRS has received a total of 11 TaxWatch Productivity Awards for significantly and measurably increasing productivity and promoting innovation to improve the delivery of state services and save money for Florida taxpayers and businesses.

