Peter Treitler, PhD, MSW

Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Social Work

Adjunct Member, Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research

Peter Treitler is an assistant professor at Boston University School of Social Work. His research aims to improve well-being for people with substance use disorders and inform more-effective solutions to the nation’s critical substance use challenges. His work examines the implementation and outcomes of health services for people with substance use disorders, and how federal, state, and payer policies shape their treatment and recovery experiences. With the goal of improving treatment across the health system, Treitler studies interventions that engage individuals in correctional facilities, emergency departments, and primary care clinics, and the policies that support implementation in these settings. Treitler’s research uses mixed-methods, combining analyses of large administrative datasets such as Medicare and Medicaid claims with qualitative perspectives from service users, providers, and policymakers. His research interests are motivated, in part, by his prior experience as a substance abuse and mental health clinician, working with individuals returning home from incarceration.

Treitler’s work has been supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts, and other government agencies and private foundations. His recent work has been featured in JAMA Health Forum, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment. From 2020-2021, Treitler was a member of the NIH Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) Learning Experiences to Advance Practice (LEAP) Investigator Program, designed to provide mentorship and advanced research skills for investigators working at the intersection of substance use disorders and the criminal-legal system.