1). Economic evaluations of SUD treatment in criminal-legal settings
2). Practical tools to advance criminal-legal care strategies
3). Contingency management for SUD and serious mental illness
4). Peer-delivered ART adherence and PrEP navigation
The Murphy Lab conducts research to inform policymakers and payers on the importance of investing in behavioral health and infectious disease care, and optimizing resource allocation to maximize access to evidence-based treatment for vulnerable populations.
Dr. Murphy’s research is driven by two core convictions: that inefficient resource allocation has devastating consequences for vulnerable populations, and that rigorous economic and econometric evidence can transform how we address behavioral health disorders and related infectious diseases. He is a leading expert in the design and analysis of prospective, comparative economic and effectiveness evaluations of behavioral health interventions embedded within clinical trials and cohort studies. This work spans a broad array of settings and populations – domestic and international, urban and rural, Native American, criminal-legal facilities – and addresses substance use disorder (SUD), HIV, HCV, and related conditions.
Dr. Murphy's research is institutionalized through two NIH-funded centers. As Co-director of CHERISH (P30DA040500), he oversees health economics research and a national economic consultation service with Researcher Affiliates across the US and Canada. As Director of JCOIN CLEAR (U24DA064506), he leads multi-institutional economic research and resource development to address the overdose crisis within the criminal-legal system. These platforms amplify the reach and policy impact of his research while building capacity among early-career investigators.
Biography
Dr. Murphy is Co-director of the Center for Health Economics of Treatment Interventions for Substance Use Disorder, HCV, and HIV (CHERISH), and Director of the JCOIN Criminal-Legal Economic Analysis & Resource Center (CLEAR). He is an internationally recognized health economist and econometrician who has dedicated his career to researching determinants, prevention, and care of substance use disorders, HIV, and related conditions.
Distinctions:
Inaugural NIH HEAL Director’s Award for Interdisciplinary Collaboration (2023)
President-elect Association for Addiction Health Services Research (2026)
Co-Director, CHERISH (P30DA040500)
Director, JCOIN CLEAR (U24DA064506)
Keynote speaker. Roundtable on Payor Perspectives for Substance Use Disorder Treatment, Reagan-Udall Foundation for the FDA (2021)
