Holly A. Hills

An Examination of Hardiness and Neuroticism as Potential Moderators of Stress Outcomes

The perception of stress is believed to result in negative consequences as a result of complex interactions among a number of variables. This study of a random sample of 234 male highway patrol officers examined the relationship among stress measures (perception of stress, report of daily hassles, and items unique to police work) and the specific consequences of stress (burnout, physical symptoms, and job dissatisfaction). Our hypothesis was that hardiness and neuroticism would moderate the relationship between stress and its consequences and that the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) would emerge as a significant predictor of the strain experienced. The two moderator variables we examined exerted clearer main effects, rather than moderating influences, on the outcome measures. The authors found that the PSS was an important and significant predictor of stress-induced consequences.

Characteristics of opinion leaders in substance abuse treatment agencies

Objective. This study was part of a larger effort to test the effectiveness of technology transfer approaches related to evidence‐based treatment of co‐occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders. Specifically, this study examined characteristics of “opinion leaders” as technology transfer agents. Method. A network analysis was conducted within four large substance abuse treatment agencies to identify individuals that other counselors sought out for consultation on co‐occurring issues. The identified opinion leaders were then compared with other counselors on demographic variables, education and experience, and attitudes and knowledge about working with individuals with co‐occurring disorders. Results. The analyses demonstrate that opinion leaders differed from other counselors in competency‐related characteristics including more postgraduate education, relevant professional credentials, and years of experience in mental health treatment. They also had greater knowledge of the dynamics and treatment of co‐occurring disorders as well as a greater willingness and confidence in working with such clients. Conclusion. These results suggest that opinion leaders are used within agencies for information and consultation regarding treatment issues. Therefore, opinion leaders may provide an important vehicle for dissemination and adoption of evidence‐based treatment practices in community treatment settings.

Comprehensive, Continuous, Integrated System of Care Development: Tampa-Hillsborough County, Florida

A local system within what is usually termed the Suncoast Region of southwest Florida, Hillsborough County, which includes the city of Tampa, has long been recognized as one of the more innovative local systems of behavioral healthcare in Florida. Back in the late 1990s, Tampa-Hillsborough was one of the earliest “districts” (now termed circuits) in Florida to create locally controlled “managing entities” for using managed care technology to more effectively utilize state dollars from the state Department of Children and Families (DCF; which is responsible for both mental health and substance abuse service delivery in Florida) and the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration (Medicaid) to organize services at the local level. In the process of organizing a local provider network (which was termed Central Florida Behavioral Health Network [CFBHN]) to become the managing entity, the community, under the leadership of then DCF Substance Abuse and Mental Health (SAMH) District Program Administrator Mark Engelhardt, began to more clearly identify the importance of developing a local system approach to the treatment of individuals with co-occurring mental health