ABINGTON, Pa. — Penn State Abington will launch the Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) this fall, thanks to a grant from the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, to support students living with substance use disorder. The goal is to create a campus environment that helps those affected by alcohol and drug misuse while they stay on track to earn their degrees.
Glenn Sterner, assistant professor of criminal justice and site coordinator for the Greater Philadelphia Office of the Criminal Justice Research Center, said the CRP will help reduce stigma while providing the students with resources to achieve and sustain recovery as they move forward.
“This is an opportunity to meet the needs of all students by developing a robust programming infrastructure for students in recovery, while also educating the campus more broadly about support for those impacted by substance use. We want to be a campus that is recovery inclusive, supportive and empowering,” he said.
Michael Lavetsky, the program chair of the rehabilitation and human services major and a licensed professional counselor with extensive experience in chemical dependency treatment, will coordinate the program. It will operate within the portfolio of the campus’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) since mental health and substance use are often co-occurring disorders.
“I am a strong advocate for people in recovery, and my clinical background includes working in a clinic for those with co-occurring mental health and drug and alcohol use disorders. I also have family members in recovery, so this is extra meaningful for me,” Lavetsky said, while stressing that the CRP is not a treatment program.
“The Independence Blue Cross Foundation is committed to making inclusive recovery environments more accessible,” said Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. “Supportive networks, like those offered by Penn State Abington, help students maintain their recovery, excel in school and reach their full potential.”
The program has been on a wish list for Gina Kaufman, the director of Student Affairs, for nearly a decade.
"It is wonderful to see this coming to fruition. I am excited to see the impact and support our community can provide for this special population," said Kaufman, who oversees CAPS.
The number of Abington students affected by substance use disorder is unknown, Sterner explained; however, nationwide, alcohol use including high rates of binge drinking, tobacco, vaping, cannabis and illicit drug abuse have been steadily increasing among the college-age population, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
“Many of our students live in neighborhoods in Philadelphia where access to treatment services is limited. The CRP provides an opportunity to meet the needs of our student population who may be experiencing the impacts of substance use disorder either directly or indirectly, or who may be in recovery,” Sterner said.