Elizabeth Santa Ana, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Clinical Neuroscience Division

santaana@musc.edu

Biographical Sketch

Dr. Santa Ana received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the State University of New York at Albany and completed her clinical internship at the Medical University of South Carolina. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Yale University School of Medicine. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Clinical Neuroscience Division, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, and she is funded with a VA Clinical Science Research & Development (CDA-2) Career Development Award for her role as PI on a study that investigates Group Motivational Interviewing and In-Home-Messaging Devices for dually diagnosed Veterans. The goal of the project is to examine the impact of group motivational interviewing and tele-mental health 'In-Home-Messaging-Devices' (IHMDs) in reducing substance use and increasing aftercare treatment among dually diagnosed Veterans. She is also funded with a South Carolina Clinical and Translational Institute (SCTR) study for her role as PI that investigates the delivery of brief motivational interviewing and cognitive-behavioral skills training using tele-health videoconferencing for Veterans with alcohol misuse disorders in primary care.

 Dr. Santa Ana’s main research focus is on the development and efficacy testing of modalities designed to enhance and maximize delivery of evidence-based interventions (EBT), particularly pertaining to the investigation of innovative methods designed to deliver EBTs in ways that are practical, feasible, and provide greater accessibility for patients with addictive disorders, particularly among dually diagnosed patients.