Summary
Stephanie Woodard, Psy.D., is a licensed psychologist and systems-level strategist focused on population health solutions to improve outcomes, with an emphasis on translating research into policy and practice.
Woodard earned a doctor of clinical psychology degree from the PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium in Palo Alto, California, in 2010. She completed a predoctoral internship at the VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System in Reno, Nevada. She also holds a Master of Science in clinical psychology from the same consortium and a Master of Science in counselor education from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York.
She has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at the University of Nevada, served as faculty for professional education for behavioral health and health care providers and administrators and provides training and technical assistance to states and providers through national TA centers. Her clinical work focuses on co-occurring disorders (mental health and substance use), mindfulness-based cognitive therapies and well-being and positive psychology.
Woodard previously served as the state mental health authority and single state authority for substance use disorder treatment, prevention and recovery for the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services. In that role, she provided leadership to state agency teams, policymakers, community providers, government agencies, payers, criminal justice and hospital systems. Her legislative work has included policy frameworks for 988 and crisis services, opioid settlement funding, expanding Medicaid-supported substance use treatment and housing and improving access to harm reduction services.
Her contributions to Nevada Medicaid include development of the 1115 SUD waiver, certified community behavioral health clinics, SUPPORT Act and mobile crisis grants, where she served as principal investigator and policy consultant. In addition to her clinical and policy work, Woodard has contributed to research as a co-investigator and consultant on several projects. She currently serves as a faculty collaborator with the Nevada COBRE for Transdisciplinary, Community-Engaged Substance Use Research at the University of Nevada.
Her board service includes appointments to the Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners and the Attorney General's Substance Use Working Group. She has also served as Region 9 representative for the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Agency Directors, treasurer and board member of the National Association for State Mental Health Program Directors and board member of its affiliated research institute. Woodard received the Robert Rehmar Professional Award in 2021 and the Distinguished Speaker Award from the National Latino Behavioral Health Association in 2022.
Professional affiliations
- National Alliance on Mental Illness, Nevada, Vice President
- State of Nevada Board of Psychological Examiners, Governor Appointed Board Member, Treasurer
Classes taught
- CHS 701 — Social and Behavioral Dimensions of Health
Selected state legislative policy work
2021
- Senate Bill 156 – Revised Provisions Relating to Crisis Stabilization Centers
- Assembly Bill 345 – Revised Definition of Drug Paraphernalia to Exclude Fentanyl Testing
- Assembly Bill 374 – Established the Statewide Substance Use Response Working Group
- Senate Bill 390 – Established 988 Crisis Response Account and Opioid Litigation Settlement Fund
2019
- Assembly Bill 66 – Established Crisis Stabilization Centers
- Assembly Bill 239 – Revised Provisions Related to Controlled Substances
- Assembly Bill 263 – Criminal Justice Reinvestment Act
2017
- Assembly Bill 474 – Established Prescribing Guidelines for Controlled Substances
- Senate Bill 50 – Established Psychiatric Advanced Directives
Selected publications
- Bowles, S. V., Epperly, T. D., Bernard, R. S., Woodard, S. A., Ginzberg, K., Perez, T. & Koopman, C. (2005). Acute and post-traumatic stress disorder in the first trimester after a spontaneous abortion. Journal of Family Practice, 54(3), 234–238.
- Brooks, J. O., III, Bearden, C. E., Hoblyn, J. C., Woodard, S. A. & Ketter, T. A. (2010). Prefrontal and paralimbic metabolic dysregulation related to sustained attention in euthymic older adults with bipolar disorder. Bipolar Disorders, 12(3), 337–348.
- Brooks, J. O., III, Hoblyn, J. C., Woodard, S. A., Rosen, A. C. & Ketter, T. A. (2009). Corticolimbic metabolic dysregulation in euthymic older adults with bipolar disorder. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 43(3), 210–216.
- Brooks, J. O., III, Hoblyn, J. C., Woodard, S. A., Rosen, A. C., Krasnykh, O. & Ketter, T. A. (2009). Differential prefrontal and paralimbic associations with delayed recall in euthymic older adults with bipolar disorder. American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 17(5), 405–414.
- Hoblyn, J. C., Balt, S. L., Woodard, S. A. & Brooks, J. O., III. (2009). Substance use disorders as risk factors for psychiatric hospitalization in bipolar disorder. Psychiatric Services, 60(1), 50–55.
- Kirk, M. R., Dawkins, A., Wei, X., Ajumobi, O., Lee, L., Oman, R., Woodard, S. & Wagner, K. (2023). What makes a peer? Characteristics of certified peer recovery support specialists in an emergency department-based intervention. PLOS ONE, 18(8), e0289920.
- Kirk, M. R., Etchart, H., Soske, J., Harding, R. W., Samuels, E. A., Woodard, S., Oman, R. F. & Wagner, K. D. (2025). Certified peer recovery support specialists and substance use related emergency department visits: A mixed methods study of the patient experience. Journal of Substance Use and Addiction Treatment, 169 , Article 209563, 1–10.
- Wagner, K. D., Mittal, M. L., Harding, R. W., Smith, K. P., Dawkins, A. D., Wei, X., Woodard, S., Roget, N. A. & Oman, R. F. (2020). "It's gonna be a lifeline": Findings from focus group research to investigate what people who use opioids want from peer-based post-overdose interventions in the emergency department. Annals of Emergency Medicine.
- Wagner, K. D., Oman, R. F., Smith, K. P., Harding, R. W., Dawkins, A. D., Lu, M., Woodard, S., Berry, M. N. & Roget, N. A. (2020). “Another tool for the toolbox? I’ll take it!” Feasibility and acceptability of mobile recovery outreach teams (MROT) for opioid overdose patients in the emergency room. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment.
- Woodard, S. (2025). Nevada’s all-payers claims database: An explainer. Guinn Center for Policy Priorities.
- Woodard, S. & Larson, M. (2025). School-based behavioral health services: An analysis of policies, practices and funding strategies to enhance implementation in Nevada. Guinn Center for Policy Priorities.
Education
- Doctor of Clinical Psychology, PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium, Palo Alto, CA
- Predoctoral Intern, Clinical Psychology, VA Sierra Nevada Health Care System, Reno, NV
- Master of Science, Clinical Psychology, PGSP-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium, Palo Alto, CA
- Master of Science, Counselor Education, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY
- Bachelor of Arts, Psychology and English, Certificate, Women's Studies, Canisius College, Buffalo, NY