Prevention efforts at colleges and universities play an important role … but support for students in recovery needs to be readily available too.
According to the American Addiction Centers, 1 in 7 young adults (18 to 25 years old) has a substance use disorder. That statistic is probably not surprising, given the culture of substance use on college campuses. Most American colleges and universities have initiated robust prevention programs to support students as they navigate higher education (I myself am a former university Prevention Coordinator). We created campaigns, events, support programs, and education initiatives to prevent substance misuse. This sounds amazing!…right? While prevention efforts are vital, they don’t address the needs of the 1 in 7 young adults who have a substance use disorder. How are we supporting these students? Surely, universities invest in recovery efforts as heartily as prevention programs!
Unfortunately, no — treatment and recovery programs are not widely available on college campuses. The Association for Recovery in Higher Education lists only 150 collegiate recovery support programs in the United States (and there are nearly 4000 colleges/universities in the US!). This lack of focus on recovery is a huge barrier to treatment access for those with an SUD, and it leaves a significant portion of the collegiate population without the support they need.
When we look at the structure of most collegiate prevention programs, recovery support can easily be included in these efforts. The William Magee Center for AOD and Wellness Education at the University of Mississippi exemplifies the integration of wellness education and recovery support services. However, student services staff often shy away from this approach, perhaps because they believe recovery programs require interventions from licensed clinicians. While it’s true that certain treatments require special training, there are crucial elements that can be delivered by student services professionals that would positively engage students with an SUD. The lack of resources and openness to addressing the needs of students with SUD may contribute to stigma and marginalization.
Ryan Doyle is the Substance Use Prevention, Education, and Prevention Strategy Specialist at Iowa State University. In a recent article published on the CampusDrugPrevention website, he highlights the impact of stigma on students in recovery:
The process of including recovery support programs and staff in substance use prevention efforts on campuses can be made more difficult by negative attachments to the concept of recovery. Part of the negative attachment can come from the language. Terms such as ‘substance abuse prevention’ are often what many prevention efforts are categorized under, despite numerous studies that indicate that terms like ‘substance abuse’ generate stigma for those being referenced … When it comes to getting students engaged with recovery support services, attraction to services can be very difficult and using problematic language that exacerbates self-stigma is an unneeded additional barrier.
Here are three actionable steps we should take to connect prevention and recovery better:
Work to eliminate stigmatizing language in prevention campaigns and, to the extent possible, institutional language.
Connect student services staff who are engaged in drug use prevention education with those who provide recovery support.
Engage campus stakeholders (faculty, staff, and administrators) in conversations about substance use and addiction; help them develop the skills to be able to compassionately discuss recovery and refer students to appropriate resources.
Dismantling stigma is no easy task. It starts with an understanding that addiction is a chronic disease. Student service professionals need to continue to work to create a welcoming space for students in recovery and to collaborate with other professionals to build holistic recovery programs for the millions of young people who have a substance use disorder.
Doyle R. The impact of stigma on efforts to reduce substance use. The Impact of Stigma on Efforts to Reduce Substance Use. Campus Drug Prevention. https://www.campusdrugprevention.gov/