Prevention and Recovery Strategies in Higher Education Through Collegiate Recovery:
The Role of Collegiate Recovery in Prevention
The West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network (WVCRN) was launched in late 2019, weeks before COVID-19 brought our world to a halt. A project of the Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern WV (Alliance), a higher education collaborative, the network originally planned to work with seven colleges and universities in southern West Virginia to establish and grow collegiate recovery communities (CRCs). Though they have been in the US since the 1970’s, CRCs are new to our state. Approximately 4 percent of colleges and universities across the country provide these programs.
Recovery and prevention are often seen as being on opposite ends of the continuum of care. However, WVCRN has taken an integrated approach in hopes of reducing stigma around recovery by equipping individuals in recovery to become innovators, bridging this divide. Prevention is usually conceptualized as falling into three categories: primary, secondary and tertiary. Strategies and interventions are frequently classified as universal, selective, and indicated. Through various collaborations, WVCRN is making an impact across these categories through several strategies.
Our communities are inclusive of allies, individuals who do not identify as being in recovery or have a history of SUD. Our ‘Recovery Ally Training,’ reducing stigma and educating the public about SUD, risk, and protective factors.
Reducing overdoses is a top priority and our team of peer support specialists co-created a virtual naloxone training and distribution plan. We have provided naloxone training for more than 1,000 individuals, including campus police/security, resident staff, athletic trainers, faculty, staff, and students since April 2020. We are excited to have the support of the Alliance’s presidents. To date, Dr. Copenhaver at New River Community and Technical College and Dr. Nemitz at the WV School of Osteopathic Medicine were trained by program coordinator Susie Mullens, while Peer Support Specialist Brandon Whitehouse trained Dr. Boggess at Concord University. Access to naloxone is considered a primary universal and selective prevention strategy, a secondary indicated strategy, and tertiary intervention.
In August 2020, Marshall University Collegiate Recovery Community and WVCRN hosted the Virtual Day of Hope recognizing International Overdose Awareness Day, kicking off Recovery Month. In September 2020, all PRSS staff participated in Save A Life Day at BridgeValley Community and Technical College, providing naloxone training to more than 50 people. We will have a strong presence for Save A Life Day 2021.
In December 2020, WVCRN established the WV Higher Education SUD Continuum of Care Collaborative to increase communication and collaboration, and to improve access to evidence-based practices across the continuum of care services for higher education stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, government partners, etc.).
In March 2021, the network hosted the ‘Reducing Risk in Higher Education Symposium.’ The symposium included content focused on the risk of substance use in post-secondary setting, including an overview of data about the impact of substance use and presentations from several organizations providing free resources to help campuses reduce risk and support students impacted by SUD, information on naloxone availability, education on Good Samaritan Laws, and best practices in policy development. In April 2021, WVCRN partnered with the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute and other partners to offer naloxone training during the National Collegiate Recovery Day events at Concord University and Marshall University.
WVCRN also works with the Collegiate Strategic Prevention Framework Partnership for Success initiative, which seeks to enhance prevention infrastructure, building capacity among higher education institutions in southern West Virginia. Marshall University’s Center of Excellence for Recovery was awarded a five-year grant for this project by SAMHSA in 2020: https://www.marshall.edu/coefr/c-spf-pfs/.
As the fall semester approaches, we are planning for the 2nd Annual WV Collegiate Recovery Conference on September 24, 2021, in Lewisburg. The first 150 registrants will have the option to reserve a free ticket to the Healing Appalachia concert, taking place at the state fairgrounds on September 24 and 25. We are excited to announce we will be launching ‘Coffee Talk’ mobile coffee carts to engage students in conversation about SUD, recovery supports and overdose prevention.
For more information about WVCRN or to register for the upcoming conference, visit www.marshall.edu/crn or contact Susie Mullens, mullens20@marshall.edu.
WVCRN is a project of the Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia, housed at Marshall University Research Corporation. The network is funded through the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources SOR grant.