Faculty and Staff
Dasha Rhodes, Ph.D., LSWAssistant ProfessorPhone: 941-359-4695 |
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Dasha Rhodes, Ph.D., LSW, is an Assistant Professor in the 911±¬ÁÏÍø
School of Social Work. She received her MSW from the University of Houston Graduate
College of Social Work and her Ph.D. from the Morgan State University School of Social
Work.
Dr. Rhodes' research examines the intersection of behavioral health and public safety,
with a particular focus on crisis response systems, social work practice in law enforcement
and public safety settings, workforce preparedness, and community-based approaches
to behavioral health crises. Her work seeks to inform policies and practices that
improve responses to individuals experiencing mental health and substance use challenges
while strengthening collaboration among social workers, public safety professionals,
and community organizations. She currently serves as Principal Investigator of the
Behavioral Response and Community Engagement (BRACE) Project, a National Institute
of Justice-funded initiative evaluating alternative first response models for behavioral
health crises.
Prior to entering academia, Dr. Rhodes worked as a hospice social worker. She also
maintains a limited clinical practice focused on perinatal and maternal mental health.
She directs the INSPIRE Research Lab (Interdisciplinary Solutions for Promoting Innovation
and Research Engagement), where undergraduate and graduate students collaborate on
research addressing behavioral health, public safety, and social work practice.
Research Interests: Behavioral health and public safety; crisis response systems;
social work practice in law enforcement settings; workforce preparedness and professional
education; community-based behavioral health interventions; program evaluation.