Addiction

Addiction is defined as persistent use of a substance despite negative consequences. It is a complex disease, the course of which is influenced by the interaction of genetics and environmental factors. Addiction is a chronic and treatable disease.

All of the addiction treatment offered by Penn Behavioral Health is informed by the cutting edge research conducted in the Department of Psychiatry. Patients can elect to receive treatment through one of our excellent clinical programs or, if eligible, may receive treatment as a participant in a research trial at no cost. Please see below for descriptions of our clinical and research treatment programs.

Penn Behavioral Health Clinical Programs

Charles O’Brien Center
Outpatient treatment for addiction; Pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions are integrated into a patient-specific treatment plan designed to establish and sustain recovery.
Center for Cognitive Therapy
Outpatient treatment for psychological disorders including addiction; Treatment is based on cognitive behavioral therapy model.
Outpatient Psychiatry Center
Offers comprehensive psychiatric services, including diagnostic evaluations, psychotherapy service, medication management, group and couples therapy for the spectrum of psychiatric disorders. The OPC offers treatment for substance abuse and addiction.
Recovery at Penn Medicine
Recovery at Penn Medicine is an Intensive Outpatient Treatment Program for addictions, offering services for patients who are beginning or maintaining recovery and do not need inpatient detoxification or other inpatient treatment.

Clinical Research Treatment Programs

Center for Studies of Addiction/Treatment Research Center
The central focus of the treatment studies is to evaluate the effectiveness of new approaches to treating addictions namely, cocaine, nicotine, alcohol, cannabis and opiate dependence.
Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Nicotine Addiction
CIRNA conducts studies focusing on different aspects of smoking, genetics, prevention, and treatment. These studies draw upon the expertise of researchers from a variety of disciplines, including psychology, genetics, neuroscience, pharmacology, medicine, epidemiology, communication, and public policy.