JK Costello develops population health plan for substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery. Inspired by the ongoing explosion of addiction and overdose, he works across medicine, public health, and community organizations to create a community of recovery in publicly-funded treatment systems.

Recent projects include advocacy and technical assistance for addiction treatment in prisons and jails; assisting a rural Medicaid health plan with their substance use strategy, including developing an alternative payment model for addiction; and working with several CMHCs, FQHCs, and a syringe access program to develop their business and implementation plans for substance use treatment. He helped develop a winning $1.5 million SAMHSA grant in Northern Colorado to streamline and expand access to addiction treatment. Prior to entering public health, he spent two years as chief medical officer for a chain of medical clinics designing efficient, evidence-based care models for more than a dozen physicians and mid-level providers.

“Thank you for bringing in the speaker today, he was great! Probably the best speaker I have heard in the whole time I have been employed here. He was so passionate and clearly really cares about what he is doing. Thank you a bunch!!”

As a prescriber himself, Dr. Costello has the credibility to work with other health care providers; his experience in teaching and public speaking help him deliver presentations and education in a variety of settings. He gives informational and motivational talks and workshops for conferences, treatment providers, and law enforcement groups. He is known for his in-depth knowledge of coding and billing while retaining a big-picture focus on addiction. Having completed his MPH capstone project at the Harm Reduction Action Center, he uses this experience to design programs that are relevant to people with substance use disorders as well as the prevention, treatment and recovery professionals who work with this population. He has presented at state and regional conferences on his work and is active in the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention’s Provider Education and Treatment workgroups.