Benjamin Morasco, Ph.D.

Staff Psychologist, Portland VA Medical Center 
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, OHSU

Degree:
Ph.D.

Education: 
B.A.,Psychology, University of Northern Iowa, 1997 
M.A., Forensic Psychology, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 1999 
Ph.D., Clinical Psychology, Saint Louis University, 2003 
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Psychology, Hartford Hospital/Institute of Living, 2004 
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Addictive Behaviors, University of Connecticut Health Center, 2005

Activities: 
Clinical, Research, Education, Administration-clinical, research, & education

Biography: 
Dr. Morasco received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Saint Louis University in 2003. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship in health psychology at Harford Hospital in 2004 and a research fellowship in addictive behaviors at the University of Connecticut Health Center in 2005. Dr. Morasco joined the Portland VA Medical Center in 2005 as a research psychologist with the Hepatitis C Resource Center, and joined the staff in the Substance Abuse Treatment Program in 2006. Dr. Morasco has clinical expertise in treating patients with comorbid medical, psychiatric, and substance-related disorders. He is currently funded by a grant from the National Institute of Drug Abuse to examine chronic pain and comorbid substance use in patients with the hepatitis C virus. Dr. Morasco's research interests are in the treatment of patients with chronic pain and comorbid substance use disorder, the use of opioid medications to treat chronic pain, pathological gambling, and examining the impact of psychological and behavioral factors on health outcomes.

Preferred Method of Contact: 
e-mail

Current Extramurally Funded Research:

K23DA023467 (Morasco PI) 07/15/2008 – 06/30/2013 
National Institute on Drug Abuse Chronic Pain and Substance Use in Patients with Hepatitis C. The research aims of this award include (1) conducting a cross-sectional assessment of the biopsychosocial factors associated with chronic pain in patients with the hepatitis C virus, and (2) to develop and test an innovative new treatment for chronic pain in this patient population.

Keywords: 
Adults
Psychotherapy-CBT
Consultation
Pain
Alcoholism/Drug addiction
Medical Illnesses
Behavioral Health/Health Psychology
Veterans
Intervention research
VA Psychologist
OHSU Psychologist