College Students Have Access to On-Campus Drug and Alcohol Recovery with StepUP

DietsInReview

By Stephanie Vand

erVelden - EduInReview.com

Navigating college life may become easier for students who are recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. Several colleges and universities currently offer programs for students in recovery, and many more are exploring the idea. Plans to expand recovery programs, including sober living facilities, are underway at colleges across the country.

A successful program at Augsburg College in Minneapolis is being used as a model for programs in development. The StepUP program was established in 1997 with a group of 23 students in attendance. The program currently serves about 75 students, and is growing. An estimated 87 percent of students in recovery maintain their sobriety while participating in StepUP. An essential portion of the StepUP program includes residential living facilities, which only house students in recovery.

The stress of college life is significant to all students; and even more so for students recovering from substance abuse. Students living in the sober living facilities are removed from the drinking and partying of other students; only living with students who are also in recovery. Being separated from common triggers allows students to focus on their academics, while receiving active support towards their recovery.

Supplemental programs, such as meetings, are also available in the StepUP program. The trend towards college-based recovery programs began at Texas Tech University nearly 20 years ago. Since then, an increasing number of colleges and universities have realized the importance of supporting students in recovery. Rutgers University and the University of Vermont are among the several colleges that currently offer recovery programs. Southern Methodist University plans to implement a program on campus, also including a residential facility.

Hazelden, a nonprofit organization, has plans to open a sober living house for students at NYU next fall. The organization currently runs many drug treatment locations across the country, and has recently purchased space near the NYU campus. Zoe Ragouzeos, director of Counseling and Wellness Services at NYU, told USAToday.com that she applauds the idea of college based recovery support as they allow students to "navigate the stresses of college life while living with others who can encourage positive, and non addictive, ways of coping with those stresses."

Learn more about the dangers of alcohol in college:

What Every College Student Needs to Know About Alcohol Poisoning

Red Bull and Vodka More Dangerous than Alcohol Alone

27 Frightening and Disgusting Fraternity and Sorority Hazing Tactics


© EDUInReview.com