Addiction is a disease that can affect anyone regardless of their age, social status, race, or gender. While it is slowly becoming normalized by being seen as a health issue that requires medication and treatment, many young people still struggle to find the help that they need. This is largely because there is still a strong social stigma around college students who also happen to be recovering substance users. Many of them feel like outcasts in their respective universities and often conceal their substance use disorder to focus on their education.
However, no one should ever have to choose between staying sober and getting their college degree. The good news is that more colleges across the United States are now offering addiction support and recovery programs so that students dealing with substance abuse can find the help that they need. Here are some colleges across the country that offer these programs:
- University of Central Florida (UCF). College students looking for Orlando drug rehab programs can find the help that they need right in the UCF campus. The Orlando-based university provides support to students who want to stay sober through The Collegiate Recovery Program or CRC. College can already be challenging enough, but the usual expectations may be harder to meet for students who are still recovering from addiction. The CRC strives to help students stay sober and in school by helping them feel safe and seen through a number of services. Among the services provided are recovery coaching, substance use counseling, academic and career advising, and support meetings. While the CRC is part of UCF, their advocacy and services are open to both UCF students and the local community.
- University of Texas in San Antonio (UTSA). Recovering addicts attending UTSA can receive ongoing care and support through the university’s Center for Collegiate Recovery (CCR). The program offers a wide range of recovery options like 12-Step and SMART Recovery meetings. Moreover, CCR also provides assessments to individuals to determine what treatments would work best for them, whether it is peer monitoring, recovery coaching, sober activities, or further education. Even if students are unable to be at meetings in person, the CCR also provides virtual meetings to members of their support groups.
- Baylor University. While some recovery programs tend to be secular, many students on the path to sobriety look to their Christian faith for strength and determination. Fortunately, the Beauchamp Addiction Recovery Center (BARC) of Baylor University provides holistic recovery programs that align with its values as a Christian campus. In addition to upholding the well-being of its student community, the BARC aims to be a dedicated and Christian-oriented sober space for everyone. In addition to organizing recovery meetings and sober social events, the BARC also provides opportunities to travel to recovery-oriented conferences.
- Southern Oregon University (SOU). Attendees of Pacific Region university SOU can seek recovery options and support from the Community of Recovery in Education (CORE) program. Established in 2010, the CORE program strives to provide various forms of support to students recovering from substance use disorder. It has been found that when recovering individuals get the help they need, they thrive academically and socially.
- Loyola Marymount University (LMU). Students who attend this college in California are able to attend on-campus meetings from different addiction recovery support groups (AA/NA, AI-Anon, SMART Recovery, Marijuana Moderation, etc.). There are also other organizations also hold enjoyable sober activities for students in recovery. Moreover, LMU also provides a one-year program for those who want to specialize in Substance Use Disorders Counseling.
- University of Colorado Boulder. University of Colorado Boulder’s Collegiate Recovery Center (CUCRC) strives to help recovering students feel less isolated by helping them form meaningful peer-to-peer connections. In addition to providing support to students who are in recovery or are looking to recover from substance use, CUCRC also helps staff and alumni. CUCRC organizes social events, one-on-one recovery coaching, and free on-campus meetings for participants and allies.
- University of Minnesota. Recovery on Campus (ROC) is a student community from University of Minnesota. The group is mainly composed of individuals who are trying to recover after suffering from substance abuse, though their friends and supporters may join too. ROC holds weekly recovery meetings and social events where students in recovery can spend time together and find collective joy in companionship and sobriety.
- University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). UNO Recovery Community is a relatively new program that aims to provide a safe space for students recovering from substance abuse. The group gives the students access to AA meetings while forming a compassionate community that will help recovering addicts do well in school and enjoy their time at UNO.
Students recovering from substance abuse often face a unique set of challenges that require specialized support and treatment. College recovery programs are there to provide ongoing care, academic counseling, and other relevant services so students in recovery have a safe space where they feel seen and supported. If you are in the process of choosing a college, look for one with a reputable recovery program so you can continue to stay sober, like one of the universities mentioned above.
