UC/UC Health Addiction Center to advance addiction research, treatment and education
The University of Cincinnati (UC) and UC Health have launched the UC/UC Health Addiction Center (UCAC), a multidisciplinary initiative designed to unite research with clinical and educational expertise to improve addiction prevention and treatment outcomes in the Greater Cincinnati community and beyond.
UC College of Medicine and UC Health will invest approximately $2 million over the next five years to support administrative efforts, research, clinical improvement initiatives and fellowship programs.
UCAC builds on the success of the Center for Addiction Research, leveraging the collaborative efforts of over 30 faculty members from five colleges and 12 departments. It is positioned to accelerate addiction science through pilot research funding, expanding evidence-based clinical care, enhancing addiction education and promoting community engagement.
T. John Winhusen, PhD, director of the UC Addiction Center. Photo/University of Cincinnati.
“Addiction is a chronic medical condition that demands coordinated scientific, clinical, and educational responses,” said T. John Winhusen, PhD, director of UCAC, Donald C. Harrison endowed chair in medicine, vice chair of addiction sciences and professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience in UC’s College of Medicine. “UCAC represents a critical step forward in unifying campus and health system resources to meaningfully impact patients, families and the broader community.”
UCAC aligns with UC’s mission to innovate and engage locally while addressing one of the region’s most pressing public health challenges.
“The launch of the UC/UC Health Addiction Center reflects a pivotal institutional commitment to confronting one of the most urgent public health challenges of our time,” said Gregory C. Postel, MD, dean of the UC College of Medicine, Christian R. Holmes professor, executive vice president for health affairs at UC and chair of the UC Health Board of Directors. “By uniting the strengths of five UC colleges and UC Health, we are advancing a comprehensive approach to addiction care — one that integrates innovative research, compassionate clinical practice and interdisciplinary education. This center is uniquely positioned to accelerate breakthrough science, expand access to evidence-based treatment and reduce the stigma that prevents recovery, ultimately improving outcomes for individuals and families across our region.”
Winhusen said UCAC will include a location that houses addiction specialty outpatient, intensive outpatient and select research programs, but its footprint and impact will reach further.
“When people hear about a new center, they often expect a single physical location. But our mission is to move away from the historic marginalization of people with addiction in which treatment was largely delivered in isolation from the broader medical and mental health care systems,” Winhusen said. “To achieve this, UCAC brings together providers across UC Health and researchers and educators from five UC Colleges, uniting expertise and resources to address addiction comprehensively.”
Key highlights of UCAC
- Research innovation: Dedicated pilot funding supporting junior and mid-career investigators to generate competitive external grant proposals, with an emphasis on expanding NIH funding and peer-reviewed publications
- Enhanced clinical services: Targeted efforts to increase patient access and retention in addiction treatment programs, including the implementation of evidence-based interventions such as contingency management to improve outcomes
- Education excellence: Revitalization of addiction medicine and psychiatry fellowships, and ongoing educational events, including an annual summer speaker series and regular journal clubs
- Collaborative leadership: Under the direction of Winhusen, UCAC coordinates activities across the UC colleges of Medicine, Allied Health Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Pharmacy and Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services to foster interdisciplinary solutions, reporting to College of Medicine and UC Health leadership.
Featured photo at top of CARE/Crawley building on UC's medical campus. Photo/University of Cincinnati.
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