Recovery Schools
~ By Colette
“Recovery schools” is a term I wasn’t familiar with until working on our April 2011 issue on adolescent substance abuse. At that time, I learned how little research has been completed on teens in recovery and how few supports are available for them. It is an obvious gap in our services for teens.
For youth in select locales across the United States, after completing addiction treatment they are lucky enough to have access to a recovery school. Recovery schools are high schools specifically designed for students recovering from a substance abuse disorder. They are places where students can balance their school with their recovery program. Some recovery schools are stand-alone facilities; many others are located within or near another school.
The need for recovery schools is obvious. Imagine how difficult it would be, after completing a drug treatment program, to head right back to an environment (school) where drugs are very available, drug-talk is common, and your network of substance-abusing friends is welcoming you back. Even the most committed person would struggle with maintaining their recovery in such an environment.
This recent report on the CBS evening news highlights the need for recovery schools.
If you would like to know more about the needs of youth in recovery, I encourage you read our free article on the subject. For more about recovery schools, visit the web site for the Association of Recovery Schools. Additionally, stay tuned to The Prevention Researcher. Our upcoming Resource Issue will focus in the needs of youth in recovery, including an article by Dr. Andrew Finch specifically about recovery schools.
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