ABOUT THE LAB
Assistant Professor, Emergency Medicine & Pediatrics
Dr. Sandelich is a pediatric emergency medicine physician and researcher at Penn State Health whose work focuses on adolescent substance use disorder, opioid use disorder in the pediatric emergency department, and the intersection of social vulnerability and acute care. He serves as Associate Director of Outreach for the Penn State Addiction Center for Translation (PSACT) and leads the ED Peer Recovery Navigator Program. His research and community work are driven by a single goal: ensuring that when a young person walks into the emergency department, that visit becomes a turning point, not just a treatment
Mission
Reduce preventable harm by identifying substance use early, responding with evidence-aligned intervention, and strengthening connections between emergency and outpatient care.
Vision
A care environment where adolescents receive immediate recognition, developmentally appropriate support, and clear linkage to sustained treatment pathways.
