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Addressing Addiction on Campus: Supporting College Students in Recovery
Traditional age college students are the fastest growing segment seeking treatment for substance use disorders (SAMHSA). However, only a small number of universities in the U.S. offer programming to support students in recovery (ARHE).
Description:
Transforming Youth Recovery (TYR) started a grant program in 2013 with the goal of funding 100 new collegiate recovery programs (CRP). The aim of a CRP is to provide a supportive, nurturing and fun environment for students in recovery from substance use disorders and other addictive behaviors, apart from the culture of drinking and substance use that is present on today’s campuses. Institutions of higher education (IHE) across the country apply for $10,000 grants from TYR to initiate/expand upon recovery support services for their students. Staff persons are surveyed annually through an innovative web platform to identify the usefulness of 38 community assets (defined as individual, associational or institutional), resulting in original data and campus-specific network models to inform the continued spread of the collegiate recovery movement.
Lessons Learned:
Recovery support is increasingly being identified as a necessary component of any truly comprehensive ATOD program on campus and a variety of types and models for serving students in recovery are emerging. Effective and inclusive CRPs reflect an understanding of their specific campus culture and environmental determinants; they establish a blend of peer-based support, clinical support services, and social activities that are the best fit for their community of recovery students. Eight assets are viewed as critical to starting any collegiate recovery effort.
Recommendations:
IHEs are encouraged to recognize and support students in recovery. Public health professionals can assist with identifying existing campus supporters as well as community resources that can be leveraged to meet the needs and interests of students in or seeking recovery, and contributing those to a national database.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programsAdvocacy for health and health education
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Public health or related research
Learning Objectives:
Describe the need and benefits associated with collegiate recovery programs.
Identify strategies for implementing recovery support services at institutions of higher education.
Discuss findings from a survey of 90+ colleges and universities participating in the Transforming Youth Recovery grant initiative.
Compare various approaches to serving students in recovery.
Keyword(s): College Students, School-Based Health
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal investigators in multiple studies funded by The Stacie Mathewson Foundation and Transforming Youth Recovery focusing on collegiate recovery programs, recovery high schools and effective evidence-based prevention programs.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.