Research
Our research portfolio includes both basic and translational behavioral science and community-based research and evaluation. Studies are typically conducted in partnership with community-based organizations serving individuals from a wide range of priority populations, such that our research participants often come from underserved and understudied communities. Research participants include persons with behavioral health conditions, persons with criminal justice involvement, low-income populations, and persons who speak Spanish as their first language. Current research interests include impacts of early adversity on decision making and health-related behaviors and efficacy of clinical interventions designed to improve health behaviors among at-risk groups.
Research projects seek to generate new knowledge about how environmental factors, individual characteristics, and clinical interventions influence personal wellness and health-related behavior
We also work across local, state, and national organizations to oversee strategic development of sustainable evaluation initiatives. Our goal is to develop robust, tailored evaluations that 1) Identify program goals, 2) Create meaningful and manageable program objectives, 3) Monitor progress to guide program improvement, and 4) Result in credible data to measure effectiveness and impact. Results from our program evaluations are widely disseminated, and they contribute to a body of evidence used by policy makers, stakeholders, and funders.
We evaluate innovative and evidence-based strategies to support healthy behavior change at the level of individuals, organizations, and health systems
We have partnered with behavioral health and integrated care clinics, hospitals, criminal justice systems, social service agencies, and residential addiction treatment centers to implement and evaluate novel programming designed to facilitate health behavior change. In addition, we rigorously evaluate our own training programs. Continuous quality improvement informed by data is an integral part of our training curricula and services.