Zufall’s comprehensive addiction services help patients like Sheri take control of their recovery

For most of her twenties, Sheri’s life was consumed by opioid use disorder. Now, at 33, she is sharing her story publicly for the first time to help others see that recovery is possible and that, in her words, “life just keeps getting better.”

“It’s like being in this land where you are reliant on a drug that controls everything,” she says about addiction. “I lost jobs, I was on the streets, I was hospitalized. I just couldn’t find help.”

That changed when Sheri connected with Zufall Health. She has now been in continuous recovery from heroin and fentanyl for more than three years.

Her progress didn’t happen overnight. It took time—and many restarts. Her first provider, Family Medicine Physician Marcella Perez, MD, supported Sheri through multiple relapses without judgment. When Perez transferred to a different location and Family Medicine Physician Douglas Bishop, MD, took over Sheri’s care, she was transitioned to a longer-acting injectable medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), given once every three weeks instead of daily oral doses. Sheri says the new MOUD, which reduces cravings for and blocks the effects of opioids, saved her life.

Since then, Sheri has maintained steady employment, opened a bank account, and achieved greater independence. Recently, she’s worried about having to stop the medication if she were to lose her coverage through NJ FamilyCare (Medicaid), given new federal policies.

“I don’t know if I will have to be on this for the rest of my life, but I know I’m not ready to stop right now,” she says.

“And that’s completely appropriate,” says Bishop. “We don’t expect someone with diabetes to stop insulin or someone with asthma to give up their inhaler. When a treatment works, it should be continued. By providing these services in primary care, we help patients view these medications as routine, accessible, and free from stigma.”

A Whole-Person Approach to Recovery

In addition to medications for opioid and alcohol use disorder, Zufall offers other substance use recovery services, including:

Behavioral health counseling: Sheri works closely with Licensed Clinical Social Worker Selena Rendon, LCSW, to adapt to life in recovery and manage anxiety through Zufall’s integrated care model.

Maternal Wraparound Program (MWRAP): This free program provides nonjudgmental support to people who use drugs or alcohol during pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. Eligibility is income-based and limited to residents of Morris, Sussex, and Warren Counties. Participants do not need to be Zufall patients to enroll.  Learn more here.

Above: Registered nurse Graciela Levisaca, RN, who typically administers the MOUD for Sheri (left), is a steady source of care and encouragement in her recovery.