Kayla Lovett

Kayla Lovett is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) and doctoral student at the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work. Her research interests include using community based participatory research and implementation science to reduce substance-related harms and improve care for people who use drugs.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WAand a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree from the University of Washington. Kayla’s interest in substance use research began during her undergraduate education, where she developed a curiosity regarding the relationship between public discourse around addiction and homelessness and unhoused individuals’ lived experiences of recovery. She obtained research funding and independently conducted a community-engaged qualitative study exploring the role of religion in recovery from substance use disorders among people experiencing homelessness.

Kayla’s experience researching the role of religion and recovery from substance use disorders led her to the field of social work. Her research is informed by several years of direct practice across street outreach, outpatient mental health, supportive housing, and hospital settings, where she has provided direct therapy and case management for those at the intersections of substance use disorders, mental health conditions, serious illness, and homelessness.

After obtaining her MSW, Kayla worked as an interventionist and project manager on an NIH-funded randomized controlled trial testing a coordinated care intervention for Emergency Department patients with Opioid Use Disorder at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle (ED-LINC). In this role, Kayla led intervention delivery, oversaw survey development and data collection, and gained experience in lab management. Her interest in implementation science emerged while working on this study, as she led an investigation using novel rapid implementation methods to adapt intervention care in response to the rise in prevalence of fentanyl.

Kayla is currently working under Dr. Kasey Claborn, Assistant Professor at University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work and Director for the Addictions Research Institute. Kayla’s research aims to address the need for novel, community-based substance use disorder interventions that are accessible for all, including those with co-occurring stimulant and opioid use, who are experiencing homelessness, and loved ones of those with substance use disorders.