Helping state lawmakers use research to prevent substance misuse
Building the Science of Evidence-Informed Prevention Policy: A Multi-level Model for Supporting Substance Misuse Prevention
This project pilots a program that helps state lawmakers use prevention research when they write laws to reduce substance misuse.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11310868 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
As someone worried about substance misuse in my community, this project tries to make it easier for state lawmakers to use proven prevention research when they write laws. Researchers will run a randomized trial with 30 state legislatures, offering a Research-to-Policy Collaboration (RPC) that provides training, targeted outreach, and capacity-building to connect scientists and policymakers. The trial will compare states that receive the RPC to states that do not and will measure lawmakers' engagement with research, their awareness and value of prevention evidence, and whether they use that evidence in legislation. The team will track whether these activities lead to more evidence-informed prevention policies across participating states.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This project enrolls state-level policymakers and legislative staff rather than patients or clinical participants.
Not a fit: Individuals seeking direct medical treatment or immediate clinical care for substance use are unlikely to receive direct benefit from participating in this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to more state laws based on proven prevention strategies and ultimately reduce substance misuse in communities.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier experimental work on the RPC showed increased engagement between researchers and policymakers and greater use of evidence in policymaking, though a multi-state randomized trial is a larger, newer test.
Where this research is happening
University Park, United States
- Pennsylvania State University, the — University Park, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Crowley, Daniel Max — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Crowley, Daniel Max
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.