College is a seminal time in a young person’s life. It’s a time for intellectual and social growth. It’s a time for the formulation of passions and future professional pathways. It’s an exciting time of experimentation, but there are also hazards on our campuses that sometimes derail students and disrupt the attainment of their great potential. High-risk drinking and the misuse of drugs are among these critical hazards, and our colleges and universities understand the need to create safe environments and educate students about the dangers of alcohol and drug misuse.
The new Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery has been established at the Ohio State University to support colleges and universities in this important work. This partnership between the Colleges of Social Work and Pharmacy and the Office of Student Life provides education and training, research and evaluation, technical assistance, and technology development to help colleges and universities prevent drug and alcohol misuse. We also have a strong emphasis in supporting the establishment of collegiate recovery communities.
The Higher Education Center actually replaces a similar organization that was established through the U.S. Department of Education but lost its funding in 2012. Dr. John Clapp led that effort, and he is the Director of the new Higher Education Center as
well. The Center is developing myriad resources to help college and community leaders develop, implement, and evaluate programs and policies to reduce problems experienced by students related to alcohol and other drug misuse. A few examples of these efforts include the provision of educational webinars and development of innovative tools for screening, brief interventions and referral to treatment (SBIRT). The Center’s website is being established at HECAOD.osu.edu, and you can follow HECAOD on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Make plans now to join us at the inaugural Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery National Meeting, August 4-6, 2015, at Ohio State’s Blackwell Inn & Conference Center.
Dr. Kenneth M. Hale is Associate Director of the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery.