The West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network (WVCRN), an innovative partnership offering peer recovery support services on nine higher education campuses, has released an official white paper on the cost-effective investment of collegiate recovery programs (CRPs) on higher education campuses. The paper was released in collaboration with the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE), Safe Project and Students Recover.
College students in West Virginia and across the nation struggle with substance use, as well as mental health challenges, which are barriers to entering or completing college. Other challenges, such as being involved in the foster care system, or re-entering society after incarceration, are linked to risky substance use, the development of a substance use disorder and overdose. Collegiate recovery programs are resource hubs and peer recovery support services on college campuses can help students overcome these challenges and achieve their higher education goals.
“Funding collegiate recovery programs is not only vital, but a very cost-effective way to offer recovery support services on our campuses,” said Kristina Canfield, executive director for the Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE). “CRPs are essential services that have demonstrated how investing in peer-recovery support services for college students not only increases student retention and graduation, but also reduces return to substance use and contributes to an overall healthier campus population.”
West Virginia has already gained substantial momentum in the development of collegiate recovery across the state, with the establishment of the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network and the Be the One training program for opioid overdose response, fentanyl education and recovery ally training, which has trained more than 3,600 people and engaged more than 14,000 people in outreach activities.
West Virginia college campus mental health providers recently indicated in a survey that they need such support to help provide additional resources to struggling West Virginia students. To build upon the success of the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network and Be the One, WVCRN would like to see expanded funding of approximately $120,000 per campus to support these critical programs.
“With as few as ten students participating at an average West Virginia campus, these programs are projected to be both cost-saving and cost-effective,” said Susie Mullens, program director of the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network.
To read the official white paper, titled “Resilience, Recovery & Wellbeing in Higher Education: A Cost-Effective Investment for West Virginia,” visit WVCRN White Paper.