Collegiate Recovery Programs: A Comparison of Historically Black Colleges and Predominantly White Institutions

Culturally diverse college students often have high rates of addictive disorders, yet tend to have lower rates of treatment participation and completion. Much of this is due to the lack of culturally relevant practices and treatment. Collegiate Recovery Programs have been established over time to serve college students in a capacity that reinforces a lifestyle of recovery from substance use and addictive behaviors. This study examines nationwide enrollment and demographic data collected from the 133 Collegiate Recovery Programs operating in the United States. While the 133 Collegiate Recovery Programs are spread across the United States, North Carolina has a number of unique characteristics which separates it from the remaining states. The state of North Carolina was the first state to use public funds to support collegiate recovery. There are currently nine CRPs established at universities within the system, including the sole Collegiate Recovery program operating in a Historically Black College. This study provides more focused analysis of how collegiate recovery program operate in in North Carolina, with a focus on the differences between the collegiate recovery program at a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs). Overall results indicated that most recovery programs are housed primarily within campus Student Health and Wellness Services. This study’s findings demonstrate that HBCU environment may differ by more often coordinating campus wide participation for recovery events. The implications of integrating the larger community to recovery services allows for greater participation from allies and advocates. This study advances the research in collegiate recovery and provides insight to practice for coordinators, counselors, administrators, and researchers.