States as Laboratories: Experimental Trial of the Research-to-Policy Collaboration to Improve State’s Use of Evidence to Benefit Youth

Substance use remains one of the most preventable sources of morbidity and mortality, yet the majority of youth continue to not have access to evidence-based prevention services. While policies can reduce population-level substance misuse, only about a quarter of all prevention-oriented bills explicitly reference evidence-based strategies over the last decade. Findings from recent research have demonstrated the effectiveness of the Research-to-Policy Collaboration (RPC) model for improving research use at the federal level, but evidence of impact on state initiatives remains limited. Crowley and colleagues will leverage a recently funded study by National Institute on Drug Abuse and experimentally evaluate whether the RPC model can improve the use of prevention research in state policymaking. This mixed-methods study will map the state-level policy landscape through qualitative interviews, bill coding, and legislative surveys to assess and quantify value, awareness, and use of substance use prevention research. The findings from this study will reveal whether a state-level knowledge mobilization infrastructure impacts research use in state policymaking, while also addressing substance use among youth and increasing access to evidence-based prevention programs.