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Cruden Headshot

Gracelyn Cruden Ph.D

Chestnut Health Systems

Dr. Gracelyn Cruden is a Research Scientist at Chestnut Health Systems’ Lighthouse Institute-Oregon Group. Her research leverages systems science, decision science, and implementation science to develop tools, processes, and partnerships to implement evidence-informed programs and policies. She collaborates with both state and county-level policymakers, including through a NIMH career development award (K01MH128761) that engages states implementing the Family First Prevention Services Act. This study aims to enhance and pilot test a multi-criteria decision analysis tool to support the selection of evidence-based interventions for implementation. She is also Principal Investigator for a NIH HEAL Data2Action study (R61DA059163) that aims to identify local and state decision makers’ data needs, then make those data available in user-friendly products. The overarching goal is to increase the use of data-driven decision making that aims to expand substance use prevention and treatment services and prevent overdoses. She is a Co-investigator on two NIDA HEAL-funded studies. For one of these, she led system dynamics modeling to inform the prevention adaptation of an evidence-based intervention for families referred to the child welfare system for parental substance use (PI: Saldana; UH3DA050193). For the second, she is leading system dynamics modeling to explore cost implications of addressing families’ social determinants of health through the Just Care for Families continuum of care services model (PI: Saldana; R01DA057556).