The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services has awarded more than $3.2 million to nine colleges and universities across the state to increase access to recovery services and supports on campuses for students with substance use disorders. These awards address a growing need for behavioral health care among young adults and the Department’s top priority to improve Behavioral health and resilience in North Carolina.
Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs) have been in existence for more than 40 years. They were developed in response to the growth in drug and alcohol use among adolescents and young adults, the risks posed to students while on campus and the unique needs of students in recovery. CRPs provide services and educational opportunities in a supportive environment as well as promote personal accountability while attending a public or private college or university.
"These recovery programs support young adults at a critical juncture in their lives," said Kelly Crosbie, MSW, LCSW, Director of the NCDHHS Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services. "College can be very stressful, especially for young adults struggling with substance use or mental health issues. These programs provide an educational opportunity alongside recovery support to ensure students do not have to sacrifice one for the other."
Campuses will use these funds to develop and implement comprehensive collegiate recovery programs that provide access to drug- and alcohol-free places and locations for students to live, study and socialize, provide peer mentorship and receive other recovery supports. Funds may also be used to provide alcohol-free and drug-free social activities for students, as part of the collegiate recovery programming.
An identified priority for NCDHHS, funding for collegiate recovery programs has been provided since 2015 and supported programs in 13 out of the 17 universities in the UNC system. Last year, $873,760 was distributed and helped serve approximately 320 students. Today’s awards will significantly expand this investment and increases access to substance use disorder recovery services available at public or private, non-profit colleges and universities across the state.
The nine colleges or universities receiving grant funds are:
- Appalachian State University (expansion programming), Boone $262,549
- Elizabeth City State University (expansion programming), Elizabeth City $400,000
- Elon University (new program), Elon $257,576
- Fayetteville State University (expansion programming), Fayetteville $399,090
- High Point University (new program), High Point $797,807
- Mars Hill University (new program), Mars Hill $75,770
- Methodist University (new program), Fayetteville $514,093
- University of North Carolina (expansion programming), Chapel Hill $130,700
- University of North Carolina (expansion programming), Greensboro $394,727
Students should reach out to the school’s student counseling center for more information.
These grants are made available through funding from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant.