On Sept. 18, Dixie State University’s Office of Sponsored Programs announced that DSU has been awarded a $10,000 grant to assist students in recovery from substance use and other addictive behaviors.
The grant comes just in time for October, which President Obama declared National Substance Abuse Prevention Month in 2011.
“During National Substance Abuse Prevention Month, we recognize all those who work to prevent substance use in our neighborhoods, and we renew our commitment to building a safer, drug-free America,” said the President in a proclamation last year. “Together, we can make sure all children have the opportunity to pursue happy, fulfilling, and productive lives.”
The grant was awarded through Transforming Youth Recovery, a nonprofit organization founded in 2013 in collaboration with DSU Wellness Center coordinator Barbara Johnson and DSU Wellness Center counselor Sue Judd. Both are licensed addiction and substance use disorder counselors.
Transforming Youth Recovery studies the community, educational, and peer networks that influence youth development and achievement. The organization provides novel approaches that dramatically expand family- and school-based prevention, intervention, and recovery support services.
The grant will provide Dixie State University with early-stage seed funding to engage in a capacity-building approach aimed at forming the relationships necessary to better meet the needs of students in recovery on campus. The grant will also support the creation of an online map of community recovery assets. The map is intended to facilitate a nationwide network of resource sharing and collaboration among collegiate recovery practitioners, students, and community members.
“The idea is to connect the university community, particularly our students, to available resources and each other,” Judd said.
In undertaking this project, the ultimate goal is to create a sustainable collegiate recovery program on campus that provides a safe, supportive and fun environment for students in recovery from substance use disorders and other addictive behaviors.
For more information about Transforming Youth Recovery, visit its website. To find out more about the effort or to get involved, email Judd or call her at (435) 652-7756.
