Justin Bell

Steering Committee

Dr. Justin S. Bell is an Assistant Research Scientist at Chestnut Health Systems and a community psychologist dedicated to advancing the study of lived-experience-based workforces.

He currently serves as the Primary Investigator of a pilot study examining the experiences of peer staff and residents in low-barrier recovery housing programs, funded by the Infrastructure for Studying Treatment & Addiction Recovery Residences (I-STARR; R24DA051974). Broadly, his research examines strategies to strengthen the working conditions and formal integration of peer recovery support specialists and other recovery professionals.

In 2025, he published the first scoping review of individual and organizational factors influencing peer workforce outcomes. He has delivered invited presentations on reducing peer burnout to SAMHSA’s ATTC, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Peer Support Association of North Dakota.