Joe Glass, PhD, MSW, is an associate investigator at Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute (KPWHRI). Before joining KPWHRI in July 2016, he was an assistant professor at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Social Work.

Dr. Glass’ research seeks to understand how effective health care interventions for unhealthy alcohol and drug use can reach more people. His research seeks to answer these questions:

• Why do so few people receive help for their unhealthy drinking and drug use?
• How can we change this?
• How can health systems make better use of effective treatments?
• In what ways could our current treatments for addiction be improved?
• Is care for unhealthy alcohol use delivered equitably?

Much of Dr. Glass’ recent work, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Kaiser Permanente, is studying approaches for routinely using smartphone and web-based treatments for unhealthy alcohol and drug use in health care. After receiving an MSW from the University of Michigan, Dr. Glass spent three years as a social worker at the Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System. As a licensed clinical social worker in a large mental health clinic, he developed expertise in social work case management and evidence-based treatments for anxiety, depression, and substance use disorders. Much of his research is driven by his clinical experiences, considering the many people struggling with both mental health difficulties and unhealthy substance use who have yet to receive addiction treatment. 

Dr. Glass is an affiliate assistant professor of health services and of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, at the University of Washington.