Rate My Professor Bridget Freisthler

Dr. Bridget Freisthler is the Cooper-Herron Endowed Professor in Mental Health in the College of Social Work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she joined in June 2024. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley (2003), an A.M. in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago (1998), and bachelor's degrees with distinction in Child Development and Family Studies and Psychology from Purdue University (1996). Her career includes serving as Professor and Associate Dean for Research and Faculty Development at The Ohio State University College of Social Work (2017-2024), Professor at UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs (2015-2017), Associate Professor (2011-2015), and Assistant Professor (2004-2011) there. Earlier, she was an Affiliated Research Scientist at the Prevention Research Center, Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (2005-2017), and held research positions in Berkeley (2000-2004).

Freisthler's research focuses on geospatial relationships between neighborhood environments, substance availability, and child maltreatment outcomes, including child abuse, neglect, and foster care entries. She investigates alcohol outlets, cannabis, opioids, and community interventions. With over 180 publications, key works include 'Understanding the ecology of child maltreatment: A review of the literature and directions for future research' (Child Maltreatment, 2006), 'Ecological models of alcohol outlets and violent assaults: crime potentials and geospatial analysis' (Addiction, 2006), and 'Communities That HEAL Intervention and Mortality Outcomes from Opioid Overdoses' (JAMA Network Open, 2024). As principal investigator for the Ohio site of the NIH-funded HEALing Communities Study (UM1-DA049417), she oversaw implementation of 615 evidence-based practices in 34 communities, achieving a 37% drop in overdose deaths from multisubstance drugs involving opioids. Freisthler has received major grants from NIH, CDC, and others totaling millions. Honors include Fellow of the Society for Social Work and Research (2017) and the 2022 Berkeley Social Welfare Distinguished Alumni Award. She presents on community-randomized trials and opioid interventions.