Rebecca Smith is a research instructor in the School of Social Work and director of undergraduate research for the
Institute for Research on Behavioral and Emotional Health at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). She holds a PhD in developmental psychology and an MSW with a concentration in clinical social work, both from VCU. She previously worked as a clinician at inpatient psychiatric hospitals and as a researcher for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice and The Pew Charitable Trusts. Across these diverse roles, much of her work focused on helping people experiencing behavioral health crises and those dually involved in the behavioral health and criminal legal systems, with the goal of connecting people to appropriate care and preventing them from being pushed deeper into the system. Her current program of research explores the social, environmental, and genetic factors that influence substance use, mental illness and recovery, with a focus on young adults and people involved with the criminal legal system. Her overarching goal is to improve health outcomes for at-risk individuals and to inform relevant policy.
