Jefferson Receives More Than $15 Million in Federal Funding for Substance Use and Mental Health Initiatives

New federal funding will help improve access to behavioral health services, enhance suicide prevention programs, and support research focused on adolescent mental health and substance use.

October 26, 2026

Philadelphia - Jefferson has received $15,875,322 in federal funding to support substance use and mental health initiatives over the next five years. The awards will strengthen Jefferson's substance use disorder and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) infrastructure, suicide prevention efforts, and research examining ADHD stimulant treatment patterns and substance use outcomes in adolescents.

"Addressing the growing need for mental health and substance use services requires collaboration, innovation, and sustained investment. These awards will strengthen critical community resources, expand access to care, and advance research that can improve health outcomes for generations to come," said Baligh Yehia, MD, MPP, MSc, President, Jefferson Health

Federal investments will strengthen the following programs and initiatives:

• The Stephen and Sandra Sheller Bridge Program: The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) awarded $750,000 annually for five years to strengthen and expand its work connecting patients from acute hospital services to ongoing treatment and comprehensive, integrated primary and behavioral health care. Dr. Lara Weinstein, Bridge Program director, says the funding will help extend support into local neighborhoods through a field team of social workers and certified recovery specialists, and will establish the Bridge as an enterprise-wide referral hub for Jefferson.
• Jefferson Einstein Philadelphia Hospital: SAMHSA granted $745,500 annually for five years to expand Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) services and strengthen care pathways for patients with opioid use disorder. Dr. Matthew Behme, lead internal medicine physician, says the award will support a 24/7 physician line for patients seeking care, as well as SBIRT (screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment), including counseling and recovery support.
• The David Farber ASPIRE Center: Clinical Director Dr. Lucas Zullo was recently awarded two SAMHSA grants totaling $4.5 million over the next five years, establishing the ASPIRE clinic as a National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Community Treatment and Service Center. Funds will support the delivery of high-quality evidence-based treatments to youth at risk of suicide, with an emphasis on a trauma-informed and family-focused approach to care. One grant supports the clinic's sustainability and scalability, including the development of resources that provide guidance for clinicians and families in the community on identifying symptoms associated with trauma and stress. The second award establishes the Duke-Jefferson ASAP Center in collaboration with Duke University, which will conduct trainings for healthcare organizations at the national level that support the implementation of trauma-informed suicide prevention care for youth across the country.
• Rural Community Opioid Response Program: The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded $750,000 annually for a four-year project focused on individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) in Schuylkill and Monroe counties. The program is led by Dr. Abby Letcher, with the overall goal of strengthening and training the SUD-related workforce in the area, while also using the grant to develop a system of prevention, treatment, and recovery services and to collaborate with health education centers and recovery community organizations to provide supportive social services.
• Project TINES: Project Trauma-Informed Nursing Education on Substance Use (TINES) is in its final year of SAMHSA funding, receiving $299,274, for a total of $897,822 over three years. Launched under the leadership of Dr. Stephen DiDonato and now led by Dr. Jennie Ryan at the Jefferson College of Nursing, the program prepares graduate nurses to address substance use disorders through trauma-informed care principles and evidence-based practices in both didactic and clinical settings. It also provides training for faculty and clinical preceptors and supports collaborative learning with rural healthcare partners

Jefferson Health Media Contact

Shellie Wass

[email protected]

Cell: 267-207-6691