Thomas Jefferson University Awarded Major Grant for Complex Care Model for People With Severe Substance Use Disorder

Thomas Jefferson University has been awarded a $458,807 grant from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) to advance the evaluation of the Jefferson Addiction Multidisciplinary Services (JAMS) program. The grant, led by Dr. Lara Weinstein, the Stephen and Sandra Sheller Distinguished Professor of Supportive Healthcare, will evaluate Jefferson’s cross-settings model of care that connects patients with opioid use disorder from hospital-based treatment to long-term, community-based recovery support.

JAMS reflects Jefferson’s commitment to whole-person, coordinated care by meeting patients where they are and providing continuity across care settings. It includes the Stephen and Sandra Sheller Bridge and Consult Program, which connects people with recurrent hospitalizations related to substance use disorder with a community-based complex primary care model for comprehensive, longitudinal support.

Through the FORE grant, Dr. Weinstein’s research team will assess clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness, laying the groundwork for future alternative payment models that can sustain and scale comprehensive recovery services.

This initiative underscores Jefferson’s leadership in transforming addiction care through models that are innovative, patient-centered, sustainable and scalable.