Center Staff

Deborah Chassler, M.S.W.

Associate Director
Senior Academic Researcher
Email: chassler@bu.edu

Deborah Chassler, Senior Academic Researcher, received her MSW from Boston University School of Social Work (BUSSW) in 1990. She has been working in social work research at BUSSW since 1993. As Associate Director of the Center for Addictions Research and Services at the school, she is responsible for the implementation of federally funded evaluation projects, privately funded research projects, development and management of data collection activities including training materials, data analysis, and supervision of graduate students. She has worked with several BUSSW professors developing data analyses which have resulted in fifteen peer-reviewed journal articles covering a range of subjects including substance abuse treatment and HIV prevention. Before joining the Center, she was responsible for the implementation of several large scale projects funded by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the National Institute of Aging. Her current research interests include survey research methods with difficult-to-reach populations, and health services utilization among drug users.  In addition to research, Ms. Chassler teaches graduate level social work courses at BUSSW including ‘Social Research Methods’ and ‘Racial Justice and Cultural Oppression’.

Publications:

Lundgren, L., Chassler, D., Amodeo, M., D’Ippolito, M., Sullivan, L. (In Press). Barriers to implementation of evidence-based addiction treatment: A national study. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.

Amodeo, M., Lundgren, L., Cohen, A., Rose, D., Chassler, D., Beltrame, C., & D’Ippolito, M. (2011). Barriers to implementing evidence-based practices in addiction treatment programs: Comparing staff reports on Motivational Interviewing, Adolescent Community Reinforcement Approach, Assertive Community Treatment, and Cognitive-behavioral Therapy. Evaluation and Program Planning, 34(4), 382-389.

Lundgren, L., Amodeo, M., Cohen, A., Chassler, D., & Horowitz, A. (2011). Modifications of evidence-based practices in community-based addiction treatment organizations: A qualitative research study addictive behaviors. Addictive Behaviors, 36(6), 630-635.

Lundgren, L., Amodeo, M., Krull, I., Chassler, D., Weidenfeld, R., Zerden, L.D., Gowler, R., Lederer, J., Cohen, A., & Beltrame, C. (2011). Addiction treatment provider attitudes on staff capacity and evidence-based clinical training: Results from a national study. The American Journal on Addictions, 20(3), 271-284.

Merighi, J., Chassler, D., Lundgren, L., Inniss, H. (2011).  Substance Use, Sexual Identity, and Health Care Provider Use in Men Who Have Sex with Men.  Substance Use and Misuse, 46, 452-459.

Reynoso-Vallejo, H., Chassler, D., Witas, J., Lundgren, L. (2008). Patterns of drug treatment entry by Latino male injection drug users from different national/geographical backgrounds.  Evaluation and Program Planning, 31(1):92 – 101.

Amodeo, M., Chassler, D., Oettinger, C., Labiosa, W., & Lundgren, L. (2008). Client retention in residential drug treatment for Latinos. Evaluation and Program Planning, 31(1):102-112.

Amodeo, M., Lundgren, L., Chassler, D., & Witas, J. (2008).  High-frequency users of detoxification: Who are they? Substance Use & Misuse, 43(7), 839-849.

Shin, S., Lundgren, L., & Chassler, D. (2007). Examining drug treatment entry patterns among young injection drug users. The American Journal on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 33(2), 217-225.

Fitzgerald, T., Lundgren, L & Chassler, D. (2006).  Factors associated with sustained HIV/AIDS high-risk behaviors among female injection drug users. AIDS Care, 19 (1).

Chassler, D., Lundgren, L., & Lonsdale, J. (2006) What factors are associated with high frequency drug treatment use among a racially and ethnically diverse population of IDUs? The American Journal on Addictions (15(6):440-449.

Lundgren, L., Amodeo, M., & Chassler, D. (2005). Mental health status, drug treatment use, and needle sharing among injection drug users.  AIDS: Prevention and Education, 2005, 17(6): 525-539.

Lundgren, L., Chassler, D., Ben-Ami, L., Purington, T., & Schilling, R. (2005). Factors associated with emergency room use among injection drug users of African American, Hispanic and white European background. The American Journal on Addictions, 14(3), 268-280.

Amodeo, M., Chassler, D., Ferguson, F., Fitzgerald, T., & Lundgren, L. (2004).Use of mental health and substance abuse treatment services by female injection drug users. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 30(1), 101-120.

Freedman, R.I., Chassler, D. Physical and behavioral health of adults with mental retardation across residential settings.  Public Health Reports, 119( 4) (July/August 2004).

Geron, S.M., Smith, K., Tennstedt, S., Jette, A., Chassler, D., Kasten, L. (2000). The Home Care Satisfaction Measure: A client-centered approach to assessing the satisfaction of frail older adults.  The Journal of Gerontology, 55B(5), S259-S270.

Geron, S.M. & Chassler, D.  (1995).  Advancing the state of the art: Establishing guidelines for long-term care case management.  Journal of Case Management, 4(1), 9-14.

Geron, S.M., & Chassler, D. (1994). The quest for uniform guidelines for long-term care case management.  Journal of Case Management, 3(3), 91-97.