Opioid Task Force

Our Mission

The University of Cincinnati/ UC Health Opioid Task Force will demonstrate its commitment to this significant public health issue by bringing together researchers, educators, clinicians and leaders/advocates who are dedicated to having a positive impact on opioid addiction locally, regionally and nationally.

Our Activities

  • Aligning expertise and resources to be competitive for research opportunities to continue as a national leader in opioid-related research.
  • Formalizing pathways to care across our health care systems, clinics, programs and agencies.
  • Advocating for best practices in evidence-based treatments and prevention.
  • Enhancing interprofessional training of health care providers and students about innovative approaches to the identification and treatment of chronic pain and opioid addiction.
  • Improving the health of our community through partnerships and engagement.

Our People and Partners

  • In April 2017, our task force was formed, with co-chairs:
    • Neil MacKinnon, PhD, Dean,  James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy
    • Melissa DelBello, MD, Stanley and Mickey Kaplan Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, College of Medicine
  • and created the following four working groups:
    • Interprofessional Research: Chair - Theresa Winhusen, PhD
    • Interprofessional Education: Chair – Kelly Lyle, MHA, MS
    • Interprofessional Practice: Chairs – Rick Ryan, MD;  Christine Wilder, MD;  Stewart Wright, MD
    • Community Outreach and Engagement: Chairs - Mike Carroll, with support from the UC Academic Health Center and UC Health Communication Teams
  • Over 70 faculty and clinicians have joined the task force.

UC in the News

News Releases

2

Make Hoxworth Blood Center’s special holiday events part of your family celebrations this December

December 12, 2025

This December, Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati, is inviting families across Greater Cincinnati to add something truly meaningful to their holiday traditions: giving the gift of life. With festive community events, beloved local partners and special thank-you gifts for donors, Hoxworth is making it easier, and more heartwarming than ever, to roll up your sleeves and help save lives close to home.

3

University of Cincinnati college is piloting a program to serve alumni of foster and kinship care

December 12, 2025

In 2025 the Ohio Reach Postsecondary designation was awarded to UC's College of Education, Criminal Justice, Human Services, and Information Technology (CECH) as part of the program's third cohort. The program recognizes and supports higher education institutions that have worked to make their campuses welcoming and accessible for students with a history in foster or kinship care. CECH will run a pilot program called Anchor Point aimed at wide-scale implementation across the campus in Fall 2026.

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