Education
PhD, Epidemiology, NYU Grossman School of MedicineMPA, Public Policy, New York University
BA, Comparative Literature, New York University
Research Interests
Overdose, drug policy, policing, public health ethics, social determinants of health, harm reduction BIO
Bennett Allen is an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology in the Department of Population Health at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where he leads the NYU Systems and Policy Outcomes Lab (SPOTLIGHT). His work focuses on the evaluation of policies and programs across substance use and mental health, injury and violence prevention, and public safety. He also is interested in the ethical challenges that come with using data to inform policy decisions and the development of policy across sectors. Current projects of note include evaluations of overdose prevention centers in New York City and Rhode Island, shelter-based overdose prevention for people experiencing homelessness in New York City, school cellphone restriction policies nationally and in New York State, and alternative first response and community violence interventions in 15 cities. As Principal Investigator, his work has been supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Health, City of New York, Commonwealth Fund, and Greenwall Foundation. Dr. Allen received a PhD in Epidemiology from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and MPA in Public Policy from the NYU Wagner School of Public Service. Prior to joining NYU, he worked in substance use and mental health policy for the New York City government. Projects
Principal Investigator, Community-based Evaluation of a Novel, System-wide Harm Reduction Strategic Plan for People Experiencing Homelessness in New York City. Active
Principal Investigator, Supporting Ethical Overdose Prediction for State and Local Public Health Authorities. Active
Principal Investigator, Assessing the Impact of Overdose Prevention Centers as a Polysubstance Use and Behavioral Health Intervention in New York City. Completed
Principal Investigator, Big Data and the Opioid Overdose Epidemic: Algorithmic Ethics and Public Health Practice. Completed
Principal Investigator, Simulation Modeling to Reduce Drug Overdose Mortality in New York City. Completed
Publications
Recent
Allen B, Basaraba C, Offstein M, Joshi S, Jacobs J (2026).
Racial differences in the association of physical disability and healthcare access with firearm violence at the neighborhood level in Chicago, 2011-2023
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 71 (4), 108384. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2026.108384.
Racial differences in the association of physical disability and healthcare access with firearm violence at the neighborhood level in Chicago, 2011-2023
American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 71 (4), 108384. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2026.108384.
Allen B, Basaraba C, Behrends CN, Chambers LC, Marshall BDL, Cerda M (2026).
Neighborhood impacts of overdose prevention centers on real estate prices in New York City
American Journal of Epidemiology, 195 (9), 2399-2407. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwag061. PMCID: PMC13537846.
Neighborhood impacts of overdose prevention centers on real estate prices in New York City
American Journal of Epidemiology, 195 (9), 2399-2407. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwag061. PMCID: PMC13537846.
Favilla A, Collins AB, Allen B (2026).
Integrating overdose prevention and interpersonal violence services: An opportunity for public health
Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32 (5), 654-657. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000002401.
Integrating overdose prevention and interpersonal violence services: An opportunity for public health
Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 32 (5), 654-657. doi: 10.1097/PHH.0000000000002401.
Allen B, Braithwaite RS, Lim S, Vasan A (2026).
Investing in life expectancy: An opportunity for local public health authorities
American Journal of Public Health, 116 (9), 1310-1312. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2026.308651.
Investing in life expectancy: An opportunity for local public health authorities
American Journal of Public Health, 116 (9), 1310-1312. doi: 10.2105/AJPH.2026.308651.
Borquez I, Allen B, Basaraba C, Renson A, Moore B, Marshall BDL, Cerda M (2026).
Changes in community-level pedestrian stops following overdose prevention center implementation in New York City: An augmented synthetic control approach
Epidemiology, 37 (5), 667-678. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000002000.
Changes in community-level pedestrian stops following overdose prevention center implementation in New York City: An augmented synthetic control approach
Epidemiology, 37 (5), 667-678. doi: 10.1097/EDE.0000000000002000.
Notable
Substance use stigma, primary care, and the New York State prescription drug monitoring program
Behavioral Medicine, 46 (1), 52-62. doi: 10.1080/08964289.2018.1555129.
Dr. Allen's Google Scholar Profile