CHERRY HILL, NJ – U.S. Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) announced today that Rowan University will receive a total of $625,541 from two federal grants from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The funding will allow Rowan students to increase treatment for those with substance use disorders and increase research on the relationship between substance abuse and sexual assault.

Specifically, the following will receive:

• $425,541 to Rowan University to support the development of solutions to the intersection between alcohol abuse and sexual assault.
• $200,000 to Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine to expand their capacity to treat substance abuse disorders.

“As America faces the health and economic crises brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, this federal funding will help our neighbors who are also struggling with addiction, as well as those impacted by sexual assault,” said Congressman Norcross, Vice-Chair of the Bipartisan Opioid Task Force. “These grants will provide Rowan University with the resources to study these areas and research solutions to ensure that all affected by these issues, including survivors and those in recovery, have the necessary support during their journey of healing and recovery. Rowan continues to use their research facilities to make our communities healthier and stronger, and I look forward to seeing the innovative work that will be done right here in South Jersey.”

“We are truly ecstatic to hear that we are the recipient of a Mental Health and Substance Abuse service grant from the Department of Health and Human Services. This award will help us to enhance our training and education for our medical students in the treatment of substance abuse disorders,” said Dr. Thomas Cavalieri, the Dean of Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. “It will also enable us to impact nationally by providing our expertise to the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners, which is a pathway for physicians to be licensed. Through this award, future physicians will be better equipped to recognize and treat patients afflicted with addiction. We are very grateful to Congressman Norcross for his commitment to combat addiction, which is a major health care crisis in South Jersey and the nation.”

“Men who have sex with men are an understudied group with regard to sexual violence. Some research suggests they may be at higher risk than heterosexual women for sexual violence victimization,” said DJ Angelone, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Rowan University, Glassboro, N.J. “We want to create a tool that we can use to identify what factors might assess not only the risk for sexual violence, but also resiliency. Having the knowledge about risk and resiliency variables will help us create prevention interventions down the line."

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) helps make advances in research behind medicine, human services and social services.

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Contact: Carrie Healey, Communications Director
carrie.healey@mail.house.gov