August 22, 2022 (Charleston, WV)—The West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute (WVDII) and the West Virginia Collegiate Recovery Network (WVCRN) have partnered with The SAFE Project to provide education to college students, staff, and faculty regarding on how to be a recovery friendly
campus. This online training course is offered as part of a joint WVDII and WVCRN initiative called “Be The One” designed to reduce the opioid overdoses on college campuses and encourage recovery-friendly and supportive campus environments.
Through this asynchronous “Recovery Ally Training,” students, staff, and faculty on West Virginia college campuses can engage in this newly developed online training to learn about how to support individuals in recovery. This course offers learners the ability to gain insight on important topics such as substance use disorder, different recovery pathways, stigma, and allyship. This FREE training can be completed 100% online.
Susie Mullens, the Project Coordinator for WVCRN anticipates that this education will encourage open discussion for individuals seeking recovery resources; “We are hoping that this course will help people understand how stigma can prevent individuals from accessing services and entering recovery. Increased understanding and empathy are both action steps we can all take to make an impact in our families and communities,” said Mullens.
“As someone who worked in higher education and student affairs for over 25 years, I have personally witnessed how stigma regarding substance use and recovery can detrimentally impact student learning and success. This training is an essential component of becoming a recovery friendly campus community,” explained Dr. Susan Bissett, Institute President.
“The Recovery Ally training is one of the many initiatives the WVDII supports on college campuses. This program compliments our medication safety training for college students, Smart Rx University by moving beyond prevention of substance use to supporting students in recovery,” said Bissett.
The two organizations have also worked together to provide college campuses throughout West Virginia with emergency opioid response boxes. These boxes provide access to the overdose reversal drug, naloxone along with real-time video instructions for overdose response.
Those interested in enrolling in Recovery Ally Training can go online at www.wvdii.org/betheone to get started or contact Tinina McCourt, WV DII Program Coordinator at: 681-205-2287 for more information.