Substance Use, Mental Health & Justice Lab
Advancing Research at the Intersection of Substance Use, Mental Health, and Justice
We create knowledge at the intersection of substance use, mental health, and justice through research, innovation, and collaboration. Our research is focussed on promoting equity, improving outcomes for vulnerable populations, and influencing policy and practice to improve mental health and substance use treatment.
Features of our recent work
Our current research
Our projects focus on addressing critical issues and creating impactful solutions. We contribute by producing high-quality forms of dissemination that advance knowledge and improvs mental health and substance use treatment.
Substance Use
Impacts of Access to Services for Alcohol Use Disorders (AUD) in Older Adults
This research examines geographic disparities in diagnosis, unmet treatment needs, access to care, and impacts on treatment utilization among older adults, to inform healthcare policy improvements.
Housing, Outreach, Partnership & Hope (HOPE) Program
In this project, we examine the impact of a housing-first model, using a cash voucher system, among individuals with opioid use disorder
Mortality Patterns Among Individuals with Substance Use Disorders
Using data supplied by CDC, this project explores gaps in current harm reduction stategies to reduce lethal injuries related to substance use
Enhancing the Co-Responder Model for Persons with Mental Health Problems
This project aims to improve collaboration between law enforcement and mental health professionals to provide timely and effective interventions for individuals in crisis, reducing arrests and enhancing community support systems.
Peer Support and Respite Centers
We aim to establish an evidence base in new avenues for effective mental health care alternatives to traditional mental health day programs and psychiatric hospitalization .
Mental Health
Establishing Innovative Community Supervision Through a Person-Centered Model
In this project we are assessing fidelity, effectiveness, and outcomes of a Person-Centered Supervision model used by Officers and Staff in the State of Georgia Department of Community Supervision
Virtual Reality De-Escalation
This project explores the implementation of a virtual training program for improving effective crisis responses to incarcerated persons with mental illness
Impacts of Forensic Peer Support
This arm of research explores the impact of forensic peer support models on reducing future justice involvement and improving the mental health of individuals re-entering communities.
Justice
Collaboration across academic disciplines, as well as with community and organizational partners is at the heart of our work. Our current partners include:
Federal partners:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Health Services Resources Administration, Centers for Disease Control
National partners:
Kaiser Permenente
State partners:
Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, Georgia Department of Community Supervision, State of Georgia Council of Accountability Court Judges
Local partners:
Advantage Behavioral Health Services, Athens-Clarke County Police Department, Athens-Clarke County Sheriff Department
Collaboration
Technical assistance
The Substance Use, Mental Health & Justice Research Lab provides expert technical assistance to researchers, organizations and communities seeking to improve outcomes in mental health, substance use, and justice systems. We offer evidence-based guidance, data-driven solutions, and tailored support in program evaluation, policy implementation, and systems analysis. Through collaborative partnerships, we help build capacity and foster sustainable change to address complex challenges at the intersections of substance use, mental health and justice.
Our team
Collaboration. Innovation. Impact
The Substance Use, Mental Health & Justice Lab is comprised of a multidisciplinary team of researchers, clinicians, and advocates dedicated to addressing complex issues at the intersection of behavioral health and justice. Our team brings diverse expertise to develop innovative, data-driven solutions that improve outcomes for vulnerable populations impacted by substance use and mental health challenges.
Director
Professor & Associate Dean for Research
University of Georgia
School of Social Work
Postdoctoral Fellow
Project Coordinator
Rebecca Mackelprang, LCSW
University of Georgia
School of Social Work
Rebecca Mackelprang graduated from the University of Georgia with her BSW in 2020, after which she graduated from Washington University in St. Louis with her MSW, where she concentrated in mental health and specialized in research. Rebecca has a variety of passions, which include trauma-informed care, community organizing, and statistical analysis for social science research.
Research Assistant
Alice Brodsky
Alice Brodsky is a third-year undergraduate student at University of Georgia (UGA), majoring in Psychology and Criminal Justice. She is an active research assistant in the Substance Abuse, Mental Health, & Justice Lab at UGA’s School of Social Work, where she explores the intersection of mental health, substance use, and the justice system.
Research Assistant
Cassie Cleary
As an undergraduate psychology major at the University of Georgia with minors in Social Work, Spanish, and French, Cassie is passionate about rehabilitation psychology, focusing on developing accessible, long-term recovery interventions for underrepresented populations affected by trauma, mental illness, and substance abuse.
Research Assistant
Kate Fuller
Kate is an undergraduate psychology student with the interest in helping develop programs that provide individuals with mental health illnesses and substance use disorders to access essential resources to enable long-term recovery and an improved lifestyle. She aspires to pursue a career in the field of sports psychology.
Research Assistant
Sammie Kamran
Sammie is a motivated biology student on the pre-med track who’s passionate about research, mentorship, and improving access to healthcare in underserved communities.
Research Assistant
Stephanie Raj
Stephanie is passionate about understanding mental health, especially its role in chronic illness patients, as mental and medical conditions often intersect, impacting diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life. Studying how conditions like Alzheimer’s, cancer, and diabetes influence mental health can help improve care and reduce stigma.
Faculty Affiliate
Affiliate
Mariam Fatehi, PhD
Post-Doctoral Fellow
MISSION Model
UMass Chan Medical School
Faculty Affiliate
Assistant Professor
University of Alabama Birmingham
Department of Social Work
Faculty Affiliate
Assistant Professor
Kennesaw State University
College of Health and Human Service
Faculty Affiliate
Faculty Affiliate
Michael Robinson, PhD MSSW CAADC
Director & Professor
Florida Atlantic University
Sandler School of Social Work
Faculty Affiliate
