Dr. Ana Ventuneac, an expert in effective behavioral interventions to improve treatment outcomes for people with substance use disorders in underserved communities.
She has joined START Treatment & Recovery Centers as vice president of Research and Evaluation.
The non-profit is New York’s largest independent drug treatment agency, and has treated more than 50,000 New Yorkers since it was founded 51-years ago.
The non-profit is New York’s largest independent drug treatment agency, and has treated more than 50,000 New Yorkers since it was founded 51-years ago.
“In addition to her background in psychology and health research, Dr. Ventuneac is passionate about working collaboratively to build upon START’s research in effective, evidence-based behavioral interventions,” says Lawrence S. Brown, Jr., MD, MPH, FACP, DFASAM, START’s CEO. He notes that START is currently collaborating with the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene on a project using telemedicine to treat people with opioid use disorders, Hepatitis B, and C who are receiving Methadone, following a successful study with the University of Buffalo and Mount Sinai.
“Dr. Ventuneac will help START expand its use of digital technologies to improve well-being, and reduce disparities in health and treatment outcomes,” he adds. “We are delighted to have her onboard.”
Before joining START, Dr. Ventuneac was an assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai where she led a NIDA-funded trial to integrate substance use services for patients receiving HIV care at the Institute for Advanced Medicine.
She has experience in complex mixed methods and longitudinal studies and has conducted randomized controlled trials and comparative effectiveness research to test behavioral interventions in reducing HIV-transmission risks, and in improving HIV and substance use treatment outcomes among persons from diverse backgrounds and underserved communities.
Dr. Ventuneac received her master’s degree in psychology in 2004 from the City College of New York (CUNY) and her Ph.D. in social psychology in 2008 from the Graduate Center (CUNY) with specialized training in health research.
She has held several research positions, including as a research scientist at the Center for Educational Studies and Training at Hunter College (CUNY), and as a research project manager at the HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University in Harlem, where she worked alongside academic and community partners to advance health promotion.
START has treated over 50,000 New Yorkers throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan since it was founded in 1969.
START has treated over 50,000 New Yorkers throughout Brooklyn and Manhattan since it was founded in 1969.
Its goal is to provide the highest quality of compassionate, comprehensive, evidence-based healthcare and social services; education of the public concerning the maintenance of healthy lifestyles; and cutting-edge behavioral, biomedical, and healthcare services research.
Its community-based treatment programs for adults and adolescents use individual and group counseling with medical and behavioral health professionals to treat patients; some of its clinics offer short-term, outpatient detoxification and a drug-free chemical dependency program for other non-opiate addictions.
Its outpatient services and programs for people seeking quality treatment for drug addiction and rehabilitation include comprehensive medical care and specialized HIV services; behavioral health and vocational services; and medical case management.
For more information, visit www.startny.org.
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