UNT CRP OBJECTIVES: Promote recovery from substance use disorders, behavioral (process) addictions, and mental health illness by providing support and services to self-identified recovering college students

By creating a climate of openness at colleges and universities across the United States, more students will feel like they are able to be recovery from a multitude of disorders regarding substance use, addiction, and mental health. Recovery at a young age is a difficult and often shameful process regarding college, and not having resources to combat the issues during such a stressful time can cause higher dropout rates, or many people not attending college at all due to an obvious lack of available resources. With the UNT CRP being an integrated program not only for substance misuse, but behavioral and mental health, UNT is working to create and prosper more resources for students. A hefty percentage of the dropout rate for college freshmen is due to mental health concerns, which are typically co-occurring with substance use disorders. More students can successfully complete degrees while at college by utilizing resources at a college level. With an increased level of advocacy for these concerns, more people can attend college, complete degrees, and in turn successfully be members of the ever growing educated workforce. 

K.F.

UNT CRP Objectives: Provide formalized training courses for workforce development in the peer recovery, addiction treatment and prevention fields

The Collegiate Recovery Program at University of North Texas provides formalized training courses for workforce development in the peer recovery, addiction treatment, and prevention fields. As a program within the Department of Disability and Addiction Rehabilitation, many opportunities are available to the student staff and members of the program. We have held trainings for Peer Recovery Coaching, SMART recovery, Mental Health First Aid, among many others. We believe in equipping our students with a comprehensive toolbox on which to draw for the betterment of each person in recovery and future professionals in the field of substance misuse. We regularly partner with other prevention efforts on campus, and off, to increase awareness and educate people to make healthy and informed choices. Staff members of our program have also been active in assisting professionals become more holistic and recovery-focused by working with the department to disseminate SAMSHA’s Recovery-to-Practice Initiative in the State of Texas. We believe in empowering our students, and we believe in affecting change on a wider scale, through advocacy and education.

-T.W.

UNT CRP Objectives: Empower students to promote quality of life improvements

"The first objective of the Collegiate Recovery Program at UNT is to empower our students to promote quality of life improvements. Our program depends on the peer to peer support to build the recovery community we have here at UNT.  Recovery is a lifelong journey.  Through case management and peer recovery coaching we work to guide our students to become experts in their own recovery.  By sharing new skills and working with students to build their own recovery toolkits, they learn what helps make them stronger in their own recovery.  As we recover together, we each get stronger in our own recovery.  By empowering our students to take charge in their own recovery they start working towards additional goals in their lives.  Our students are learning empowerment and realizing they have the power and control over their lives and their future.  With increased academic goals new standards are being set.  Involvement in our recovery community is reducing student isolation.  The Collegiate Recovery Program at UNT is giving students the opportunity to regain a positive identity, find a sense of purpose and value, and work on becoming the person they want to be."

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A.C.