Lauren A. Peterson

Dr. Lauren Peterson is an Assistant Professor in the Human Behavior, Research, and Policy Department at Boston University School of Social Work. Her research aims to understand and improve health care access and outcomes and to advance health equity and social inclusion, particularly for people with disabilities, substance use disorders, and complex care needs. Dr. Peterson’s current research focuses on Medicaid and safety-net systems, using multi-method approaches that combine novel policy data with large-scale administrative data. Her work bridges public health, public policy, and social work, and is grounded in nearly a decade of professional policy experience with organizations such as the International Labour Organization, Abt Global, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General, as well as clinical social work training at the University of Chicago Medical Center.

Dr. Peterson received her PhD from the University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice, where she also earned a Master of Social Work-equivalent degree. She also holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from Columbia University. Her research and training have been supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Horowitz Foundation for Social Policy.

Professor Peterson’s Google Scholar Profile