Education and the Student in Recovery

Catalog description

This highly interdisciplinary course provides a broad exploration of how students accomplish abstinent recovery from Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDS) and other Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) in high-risk environments with the support of Recovery High Schools and Collegiate Recovery Program.s In particular, the course examines the problem posed by alcohol and substance use disorders on high school and college campuses, and explains the benefits of expanding the continuum of student health services to include ongoing support for the major lifestyle changes required to sustain recovery from chronic health conditions. Educational environments can pose challenges to students in recovery, and without proper support, students often return to active use of alcohol and other substances, which often invites disastrous life consequences, including educational failure. With the proper supports in place, students often thrive across multiple domains. Recovery High Schools provide access to social systems, coping mechanisms, recreational activities, and pro-recovery peer groups. Collegiate Recovery Programs are expanding rapidly: they are typically low-cost, featuring s small staff, a space on campus in which to meet, a peer-support community, and recovery-protective programming. A growing body of evidence suggests that these programs have very low relapse rates, low attrition, and higher GPAs than their host institutions. The course builds awareness of terminology, especially in relation to stigma-reduction and recovery messaging. It explores various theoretical contexts, including ecological theory and resiliency theory. It explores new paradigms in the management of chronic health conditions, through Recovery-oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) and the expansion of the continuum of care that colleges and universities offer their students to include ongoing support for recovery. Since participation in 12-step recovery programs is very high in RHSs and CRPs, we explore the known mechanisms of 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Building on these insights, the role of narrative in making "storied" identity changes is also explored. The course also examines the way in which educational and recovery curricula complement one another to bring about lasting personal transformations. Students will apply their understandings in the course by completing a final project in which they demonstrate various ways that the course content might inform the work of practitioners who work with students in recovery in healthcare, education, and beyond. This course is especially suited for students intending to work in schools and other education-related settings, including Recovery High Schools and Collegiate Recovery Programs.