Integrated care for people with chronic pain and opioid use disorder at Montefiore/Einstein
Official title: Integrated Care for Chronic Pain and Opioid Use Disorder: The IMPOWR Research Center at Montefiore/Einstein (IMPOWR-ME)
Funded at Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11311142 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This program compares non-drug options like yoga, physical therapy, counseling, and a smartphone support app for people living with chronic pain and opioid use disorder.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Albert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Bronx, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,328,798 |
| NIH project number | 3RM1DA055437-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11311142 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults with chronic pain who also have opioid use disorder, especially people receiving care at methadone or opioid treatment programs who can use a smartphone.
✕Less likely to help
People without chronic pain or opioid use disorder, those who cannot attend participating clinics, or those unable to use a smartphone may not benefit from these specific trials.
What this research studies
If you take part, you may be randomly assigned in one of two three-arm trials: one offers yoga or physical therapy delivered onsite at methadone treatment programs, and the other compares Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a care-management smartphone app, and usual care. The center partners with people who have lived experience of chronic pain and OUD to design and run the studies and to help share effective treatments widely. Research teams will test how well these approaches work in real clinic settings and whether they are cost-effective and scalable. The program also trains early-stage investigators so these options can be studied and offered more broadly in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could expand access to effective non-drug treatments that reduce pain and improve recovery for people with OUD.
How similar studies have gone: Some prior studies show benefit from physical therapy, yoga, ACT, and digital supports for pain or substance use separately, but combining and testing these integrated approaches in people with both chronic pain and OUD is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Bronx, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Starrels, Joanna L. — Albert Einstein College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Starrels, Joanna L.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.