Joshua Breslau

Joshua Breslau is a Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist at RAND and Professor of Policy Analysis at the RAND School of Public Policy. He holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from Harvard University and an Sc.D. in epidemiology from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. With over two decades of experience, his work focuses on social and cultural influences on mental health, migration impacts, healthcare integration for serious mental illness, and policy effects on treatment disparities.

• Key research areas: Mental health, public health, epidemiology, health policy, substance use, military health systems
• Current projects: National evaluation of Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers, telehealth availability studies, 988 mental health hotline preparedness

His research examines how social determinants affect health outcomes, with specific studies on Medicaid services, U.S. military healthcare, and integration of medical-social services. Recent publications analyze AI competency in suicide response, ACEs screening implementation, and post-pandemic mental health strategies. He has led NIH-funded projects on racial disparities and behavioral health care integration.