Cropsey to serve on national committee reviewing opioid programs

A UAB psychologist was recently appointed to a committee reviewing programs combating opioid use.
Written by: Hannah Bae
Media Contact: Savannah Koplon


CropseyJoomlaKaren Cropsey, Psy.D., professor in the University of Alabama at Birmingham Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurobiology, has been appointed to the Committee on the Review of Specific Programs in the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act for the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

The committee will review the outcomes of four programs that seek to address the ongoing opioid crisis, ultimately providing recommendations in resource allocation to Congress to ensure the federal government’s response to the opioid addition epidemic is cost-effective.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to play a role leveraging the discussion of such an important public health issue,” Cropsey said. “I am eager to present evidence-based recommendations to the federal government so we can get the most out of these programs and help all at-risk Americans.”

Through three published reports in a five-year span, the committee will assess and provide independent analyses of four programs funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The programs include Building Communities of Recovery, State Pilot Grant Program for Treatment of Pregnant and Postpartum Women, First Responders, and Improving Access to Overdose Treatment.

The first report produced by the committee will recommend outcomes and metrics the programs should collect. The second report will analyze the programs’ reported outcome and metrics, and the third report will evaluate the effectiveness of the programs in achieving their goals by measuring identified metrics.