Education

Inclusive Peer Support Groups Are Expanding at US Colleges, but Stable Funding Is Needed

A new study found that collegiate recovery programs that have multiple sources of funding served twice as many students as programs with only one source of funding. These programs, particularly those that offer support groups for students in all stages and types of recovery, can serve as a lifeline during the challenging college experience. 

As colleges and universities continue to prioritize student mental health and well-being, collegiate recovery programs (CRPs) are emerging as a vital component of these efforts for students recovering from substance use disorders and behavioral addictions. A new study led by a School of Public Health researcher presents a foundational assessment of CRPs’ structure and programming, lending insight into how academic institutions can strengthen and sustain these chronically underfunded, but critically needed, programs. 

The study is the first to acquire this data through the lens of program directors, who are better positioned than students to identify CRPs’ operational and funding needs.

Published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, the study revealed important differences in the programs’ reach, based on the number of their funding sources; CRPs that had multiple funding sources served twice as many students as CRPs that relied on only a single source. These programs were also more likely to provide dedicated space and relapse management support to students. All Recovery meetings, which are inclusive support groups open to people exploring different forms of recovery and in all stages of the recovery process, were the most common type of mutual-aid support groups in CRPs. 

The finding that All Recovery meetings were the most common support group on college campuses came as a surprise to the researchers, who were expecting to see a greater proportion of traditional support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). All Recovery meetings lack a centralized structure, and there is little data about their effectiveness, but this new data suggest that this alternative form of support is an effective one by providing a welcoming space for students on different recovery journeys to connect and heal together as they navigate their shared college experience.

“As a nation, we are looking for ways to have an impact on the addiction crisis in the US,”  says study lead and corresponding author Noel Vest, assistant professor of community health sciences at BUSPH. “Collegiate recovery programs offer one ray of hope by offering multiple resources and opportunities to combat this issue in an environment where excessive alcohol and drug use are normalized and pervasive. The steady presence of CRPs not only assists students in recovery during their time in college, it reduces the stigmas associated with recovery in college that might otherwise deter these students from seeking help.”

Without multiple streams of funding, these programs may not withstand times of financial uncertainty, he says.

“CRPs that have to rely on a single source of funding may be in tenuous positions if that funding dissolves,” Vest says. “Our findings really underscore the need for diversified and sustainable funding for these programs.”

For the study, Vest and colleagues administered a survey to 70 CRP directors across the US and Canada, asking them to share details about their program, including physical features of their sites on campus, as well as policy and program offerings, and funding sources. CRPs provide a variety of support services, including physical gathering spaces, academic assistance, peer mentoring, and substance-free housing.

The program directors were predominantly non-Hispanic, White, and female, and 15 percent represented gender and sexual minorities. The highest number of directors were from colleges or universities in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina.

CRPs with two or more funding sources had more drop-in centers than CRPs with only one funding source (although the team did not observe a difference in staff size or level of peer mentorship), as well as more policies in place to manage students who relapsed and a greater proportion of recovery housing.

About 67 percent of program directors reported that their CRP provided All Recovery meetings. All Recovery meetings meet students where they are—physically, emotionally, and behaviorally—and aim to reduce the negative consequences of addiction and mental health through the lens of the student experience rather than focusing on total abstinence from substance use. 

With support and advocacy from the Association of Recovery in Higher Education, CRPs have surged in popularity, with nearly 150 programs operating on college campuses across the country. It is critical that these programs receive adequate funding to address the needs of the estimated 650,000 college students in recovery. The researchers hope the new findings inform state and federal policies that promote student health and enable college students to have reliable and consistent access to a variety of recovery services—for the benefit of the students, as well as their college campus and the greater community. In Massachusetts, for example, a proposed bill aims to provide housing, counseling, mentoring, peer support, and overdose training to public colleges and universities.

“As a marginalized group with histories of trauma, college students in recovery are struggling in many different ways and put in a lot of work to get to college,” Vest says. “They put in a lot of work to get to college, and collegiate recovery programs provide the space and tools for success once they arrive.”

The study’s senior author is Keith Humphreys, Esther Ting Memorial Professor and professor, by courtesy, of health policy at Stanford University. At SPH, the study was coauthored by Michelle Flesaker, research fellow in the Department of Epidemiology, and Michael Stein, dean ad interim. The study was also coauthored by Robert Bohler, assistant professor in the Department of Health Policy & Community Health at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University; Christine Timko, senior research career scientist at the Veterans Administration Health Services Research and Development Service and affiliated clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine; and John Kelly, psychologist and professor of psychology at Massachusetts General Hospital.