Dr. Steel  received a grant from the Garvey Institute for Brain Health Solutions to build a hospital program that helps people with Alcohol Use Disorder get the support they need while they are still in the hospital. Voices of Recovery is working with Dr. Steel to make sure this program is shaped by people who know what recovery is really like.
 
Dr. Steel says many patients are hospitalized due to complications of alcohol use. Hospitals are good at treating injuries from car accidents and curing infections, yet the root cause of these issues in many patients—the alcohol use—is inadequately addressed in hospitals. Patients are often given a list of phone numbers to call for help with their drinking when they leave the hospital, and that is not enough. Her project aims to offer more help. She is talking with patients to learn what kind of help they really want. Her team is creating a web-based tool to help patients make treatment choices while they are still in the hospital. The goal is to connect people to the care they want and need to move toward recovery.

Dr. Steel also studies how hospitals treat alcohol withdrawal and other alcohol-related problems. She works to improve care, especially for people who are often left out or face barriers to getting help. Her research helps create better, fairer treatment for everyone.