Researchers' Profiles
Kendall Darfler, M.S.
Principal Investigator
Kendall Darfler is Co-Principal Investigator of UCLA ISAP's evaluation of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Opioid Response Project, including the State Opioid Response and Opioid Settlement Fund initiatives. Previously, she was Co-Principal Investigator of the Outcomes Analysis of the California Behavioral Health Response and Rescue Project. She leads mixed-methods studies focused on addiction treatment access, overdose prevention, peer-delivered services, and crisis response services. Her work includes evaluation of statewide behavioral health programs, data-informed quality improvement, and technical assistance to support evidence-based decision-making in behavioral health systems. Her interests include community-driven research, substance use policy, and implementation strategies that expand access to treatment, overdose prevention and other services that support the health and well-being of people who use drugs. She holds an M.S. in Science and Technology Studies (STS), an interdisciplinary field that examines the sociopolitical dynamics of science, technology and medicine.
- University of California Los Angeles, BA, 2012, Anthropology
- Drexel University, MS, 2017, Science, Technology and Society
- Program Evaluation
- Mixed-Methods Research
- Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement
- Darfler, K., Sandoval, J., Antonini, V. P., Urada, D. (2019) Preliminary results of the evaluation of the California Hub and Spoke Program. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsat.2019.07.014
- Caton, L., Shen, H., Miele, G., Darfler, K., Sandoval, J., Urada, D., McGovern, M.P. (2021). Opening the “black box”: Four common implementation strategies for expanding the use of medications for opioid use disorder in primary care. Implementation Research and Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/26334895211005809
- Joyce, K., Darfler, K., George, D., Ludwig, L., Unsworth, K. (2018). Engaging STEM Ethics Education. Engaging Science, Technology and Society, 4. https://doi.org/10.17351/ests2018.221