Social Research Center

Research Staff

Sharon M. Kelly

Sharon M. Kelly
Research Scientist

Degree: Ph.D., Sociology: Justice, American University
Phone: 410-837-3977 ext. 273
Fax: 410-752-4218
Email:


Research Interests

Dr. Kelly's research experience has focused on investigating ways of improving substance abuse treatment services, implementation, and delivery for opioid-dependent individuals, particularly for adults involved with the criminal justice system. Specifically, her research has explored factors surrounding treatment entry and engagement for individuals in treatment as well as for individuals who are not currently in treatment, gender differences among individuals in and out of treatment, and patient satisfaction as it relates to retention in treatment and decreased drug use and illegal activity. Currently, Dr. Kelly works as Co-Investigator and Project Manager on a National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded study examining the effectiveness of interim methadone maintenance for heroin-addicted adults entering treatment in Baltimore City. Related to her interest in the welfare of disadvantaged youth, Dr. Kelly serves as a citizen commissioner on the Commission on Juvenile Justice in Montgomery County, Maryland.

Selected Publications

Gryczynski, J., Kinlock, T. W., Kelly, S. M., O'Grady, K. E., Gordon, M. S., & Schwartz, R. P. (in press). Opioid agonist maintenance for probationers: Patient-level predictors of treatment retention, drug use, and crime. Substance Abuse. Abstract

Kelly, S. M., O'Grady, K. E., Mitchell, S. G., Brown, B. S., & Schwartz, R. P. (in press). Predictors of Methadone Treatment Retention from a Multi-Site Study: A Survival Analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Schwartz, R. P., Kelly, S. M., O'Grady, K. E., Mitchell, S. G., & Brown, B. S. (in press). Antecedents and correlates of methadone treatment entry: A comparison of out-of-treatment and in-treatment cohorts. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Kelly, S. M., O'Grady, K. E., Brown, B. S., Mitchell, S. G., & Schwartz, R. P. (2010). The role of patient satisfaction in methadone treatment. Am J Drug Alcohol Abuse, 36(3), 150-154. [PMCID: PMC2938880]. Abstract

Kelly, S. M., O'Grady, K. E., Schwartz, R. P., Peterson, J. A., Wilson, M. E., & Brown, B. S. (2010). The relationship of social support to treatment entry and engagement: The community assessment inventory. Substance Abuse, 31(1), 43-52 [PMCID: PMC2856126].

Peterson, J. A., Schwartz, R. P., Mitchell, S. G., Reisinger, H. S., Kelly, S. M., O’Grady, K. E., Brown, B. S., & Agar, M. H. (2010). Why don’t out-of-treatment individuals enter methadone treatment programs? International Journal of Drug PolicyAbstract

Schwartz R.P., Kelly S.M., O'Grady K.E., Mitchell S.G., Brown B.S. (2010) Antecedents and correlates of methadone treatment entry: A comparison of out-of-treatment and in-treatment cohorts. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010 Nov 30. [Epub ahead of print].  [NIHMS256923].

Kelly, S. M., Schwartz, R. P., O'Grady, K. E., Mitchell, S. G., Reisinger, H. S., Peterson, J. A., Agar, M. H., & Brown, B. S. (2009). Gender differences among in- and out-of-treatment opioid-addicted individuals. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 35, 38-42. Abstract

Mitchell, S. G., Kelly, S. M., Brown, B. S., Reisinger, H. S., Peterson, J. A., Ruhf, A., Agar, M. H., O'Grady, K. E., & Schwartz, R. P. (2009). Uses of diverted methadone and buprenorphine by opioid-addicted individuals in Baltimore, Maryland. The American Journal on Addictions. Abstract

Mitchell, S. G., Kelly, S. M., Brown, B. S., Reisinger, H. S., Peterson, J. A., Ruhf, A., Agar, M. H., & Schwartz, R. P. (2009). Incarceration and opioid withdrawal: The experiences of methadone patients and out-of-treatment heroin users. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs. Abstract

Reisinger, H. S., Schwartz, R. P., Mitchell, S. G., Peterson, J. A., Kelly, S. M., O’Grady, K. E., Marrari, E. A., Brown, B. S. & Agar, M. H. (2009). Premature discharge from methadone treatment: Patient perspectives. Journal of Psychoactive DrugsAbstract

Schwartz, R. P, Jaffe J. H., O’Grady, K. E., Kinlock, T. W., Gordon, M. S., Kelly, S. M., Wilson, M. E., & Ahmed, A. (2009). Interim Methadone Treatment: Impact on Arrests. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 103, 148-154. Abstract

Peterson, J. A., Schacht-Reisinger, H., Schwartz, R. P., Mitchell, S. G., Kelly, S. M., Brown, B. S., & Agar, M. H. (2008). Targeted sampling in drug abuse research: A review and case study. Field Methods, 20, 155-170. Abstract

Schwartz, R. P., Kelly, S. M., O’Grady, K. E., Mitchell, S. G., Peterson, J. A., Reisinger, H. S., Agar, M. H., & Brown, B. S. (2008). Attitudes toward buprenorphine and methadone among opioid-dependent individuals. The American Journal on Addictions, 17, 396-401. Abstract

Schwartz, R. P., Kelly, S. M., O'Grady, K. E., Peterson, J. A., Reisinger, H. S., Mitchell, S. G., Wilson, M. E., Agar, M. H., & Brown, B. S. (2008). In-treatment v. out-of-treatment opioid dependent adults: Drug use and criminal history. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 34, 17-28. Abstract