Laura J. Faherty

Photo of Laura Faherty
Physician Policy Researcher; Professor of Policy Analysis, Pardee RAND Graduate School
Boston Office

Education

M.D., Emory University School of Medicine; M.P.H. in global epidemiology, Emory University Rollins School of Public Health; M.S.H.P. in health policy research, University of Pennsylvania; B.A. in history of science, Princeton University

Media Resources

This researcher is available for interviews.

To arrange an interview, contact the RAND Office of Media Relations at (310) 451-6913, or email media@rand.org.

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Overview

Laura Faherty (she/her) is a physician policy researcher at the RAND Corporation, an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Boston University School of Medicine, and a professor of policy analysis at the Pardee RAND Graduate School. Prior to joining RAND, she was a Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania.

A board-certified pediatrician with a public health and health services research background, Dr. Faherty’s research focuses on maternal-child health and pandemic preparedness and response, both in U.S. and non-U.S. settings. Her current work addresses COVID-19 testing in K–12 schools; equitable COVID-19 vaccine delivery; behavioral health in the perinatal period, including opioid use in pregnancy and perinatal depression; and behavioral health surveillance in the disaster context. She recently supported the development of the 2020 Vaccines National Strategic Plan. She completed her residency and chief residency in pediatrics at Boston Medical Center and Boston Children's Hospital. Dr. Faherty received her M.D. and M.P.H. in global epidemiology from Emory University, her M.S. in health policy research from the University of Pennsylvania, and her B.A. in history of science from Princeton University. 

Research Focus

Concurrent Non-RAND Positions

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine; Associate Director, Barbara Bush Children's Hospital Scholars Academy

Recent Projects

  • An Exploratory Analysis of the Association of State Policies with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
  • Evaluation of PMA2020 and Track20 (Two Global Family Planning Data Programs)
  • Depression Care to Improve Adherence to PMTCT Care Continuum and Pregnancy Outcomes in Uganda
  • Impact Assessment and Strategic Planning for the World Trade Center Health Program's Research-to-Care Model
  • COVID-19 Testing in K-12 Schools

Selected Publications

Stephen W. Patrick, Laura J. Faherty, Andrew Dick, Theresa A. Scott, Judith Dudley, Bradley D. Stein. , "Association Among County-Level Economic Factors, Clinician Supply, Metropolitan or Rural Location, and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome," Journal of the American Medical Association, 321(4), 2019

Laura J. Faherty, Heather L Schwartz, Faruque Ahmed, Yenlik Zheteyeva; Lori Uscher-Pines, "School and preparedness officials' perspectives on social distancing practices to reduce influenza transmission during a pandemic: Considerations to guide future work," Preventive Medicine Reports, 2019 (forthcoming)

Faherty, LJ; Hantsoo, L; Appleby, D; Sammel, M; Bennett, I; Wiebe, DJ. , "Movement Patterns in Women at Risk for Perinatal Depression: Use of a Mood-Monitoring Mobile Application in Pregnancy. ," Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association., 24(4), 2017

Faherty, LJ, Rasmussen, SA, and Lurie, N, "A Call for Science Preparedness for Pregnant Women in Public Health Emergencies," American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2016

Faherty, LJ, Rasmussen, SA, and Lurie, N, "Planning for Research on Children During Public Health Emergencies," Pediatrics, 137(2), 2016

Faherty, L.J., Matone, M., Passarella, M., Lorch S., "Mental Health of Mothers of Infants with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome and Prenatal Opioid Exposure ," Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2018 (forthcoming)

Laura J. Faherty, Benjamin French, Alexander Fiks, "Gender of the Clinician, Child, and Guardian and the Association with Receipt of Routine Adolescent Vaccines," Journal of Adolescent Health, 59(1), 2016

Faherty LJ, Kranz AM, Russell-Fritch J, Patrick SW, Cantor J, Stein BD., "Association of Punitive and Reporting State Policies Related to Substance Use in Pregnancy With Rates of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome," JAMA Network Open, 2(11), 2019

Honors & Awards

  • Bob Brook Scholar Award (2017), The RAND Corporation
  • Medal Award - Bronze (2019), The RAND Corporation

Languages

Spanish

Recent Media Appearances

Interviews: KJZZ - (NPR) Phoenix, AZ; Reuters Online

Publications