They were once a rarity, but a worsening addiction crisis and vigorous advocacy have led to a tenfold increase in programs to help students in recovery navigate campus life.
Tom Bannard knows what itâs like to recover from alcohol and drug problems on a college or university campus that offers more temptation than support.
Five years after becoming coordinator of Rams in Recovery, Bannard has built the collegiate recovery program at Virginia Commonwealth University into a model and a mentor for other Virginia colleges and universities, public and private.
âWe are kind of a flagship,â said Bannard, 36, who relied on a similar program, Hoos in Recovery, when he returned to the University of Virginia in 2008 after undergoing rehab for substance use disorder. âWe have the largest and most robust support network.â