Phylicia Bediako, PhD, MSW recently started as a Research Associate with the Substance Use Disorder Center of Excellence (SUD COE) at the Center for Evidence-Based Practices (CEBP) at the Begun Center.
Dr. Bediako is dedicated to bridging the research-practice-policy gap and has held research, evaluation, practice, training, and consulting positions in public health and social work. As a researcher, she explored health disparities and inequities in a variety of areas that relate to and influence individual and community-level behavioral and mental health. Her training included National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) research fellowships at Penn State University and New York University. She has substantial experience helping organizations access and translate research and understand data to inform a variety of organizational and program development projects as well as advocacy initiatives. She has designed and evaluated trauma, mental health, and equity-related professional development and training programs for youth, health, and human services organizations. Before joining the Center, she worked as a therapist and care coordinator for a veteran-owned mental health clinic specializing in trauma therapy with military-connected adults in Albuquerque, NM.
Dr. Bediako earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, and a dual-title PhD in Health Policy & Administration and Demography (Population Health Track) from Penn State University.