The West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network (WVCRN), a consortium of recovery programs and communities on campuses across the state and an initiative of the Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia, is hosting the first West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Conference from 10:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. on Oct. 20. Sara Payne Scarbro is the alliance’s operations council chair.
“The alliance, chaired by Marshall University President Jerry Gilbert, is honored to work with the Higher Education Policy Commission and others to bring this innovative statewide conference to West Virginia,” Scarbro said. “Support is fundamental for any student who is pursuing higher education attainment, especially for our students in recovery, and we want to ensure our students have access to the resources, services and peer support they need to achieve their higher education goals.”
The one-day virtual conference will provide sessions and information on developing successful and sustainable collegiate recovery programs and communities, understanding best practices for inclusive programming, demonstrating the financial benefits of recovery services and more. The conference will feature speakers from the Association of Recovery in Higher Education, and firsthand accounts of the importance of these programs from current members and alumni, including West Virginia University student Drew O’Connell.
Dr. Sarah Armstrong Tucker is West Virginia’s Chancellor for Higher Education. She’s looking forward to what the conference could accomplish for the state.
“We are proud to be part of this network of collegiate professionals working together to increase access to recovery programs in support of students’ health and educational success,” Tucker said. “I am looking forward to this first statewide conference, and to all we will accomplish together as we commit to recovery and mental health for West Virginia’s students and campus communities.”
The event is free and open to the public. Registration information can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/120816361991.
Created in response to a growing number of students dealing with substance misuse and other mental health concerns, collegiate recovery programs first started emerging in the late 1970s. Collegiate recovery started in West Virginia in 2015 and now there are 9 collegiate recovery programs and communities across the state. The alliance created the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network in 2019 to connect colleges and universities across the state working to support students in recovery.
“We know education is a protective factor and a key component of recovery capital. We are excited to bring everyone together for the conference and look forward to being a resource to help other schools in West Virginia,” said Susie Mullens, WVCRN program coordinator and conference committee member. “Our goal is to grow and strengthen our network so all college students in West Virginia have much-needed peer support and access to recovery programs.”
The network is funded through the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources State Opioid Response Grant and is a project of the West Virginia Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia, housed at Marshall University. Current collaborating schools include: Bluefield State College, BridgeValley Community & Technical College, Concord University, Marshall University, Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College, WV School of Osteopathic Medicine, West Virginia State University and West Virginia University.