As the opioid crisis continues to impact more college-aged individuals in Knox County, it is important for Volunteers to know that there is a support network available on campus should they ever need it.
The University of Tennessee’s Center for Health Education and Wellness is doing a lot to educate students on and reduce the stigma surrounding the growing crisis, such as hosting events where students are trained to use Narcan.
Abigail Anderson is the assistant director of the Center for Health, Wellness and Education.
“Rocky Top Recovery is a collegiate recovery program dedicated to supporting Volunteers in recovery from substance use and mental health disorders. Through community building, campus programming and advocacy, students provide a supportive environment for students in recovery or interested in recovery,” Anderson said.
Anderson said that Rocky Top Recovery complements CHEW as a whole by fulfilling a vital role in serving the campus community by educating and providing services centered around alcohol and other drugs.
The group, which has been on campus for several years, experienced a downturn in participation during COVID-19, but it has grown again since the end of the pandemic.
A grant from the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services in 2022 has helped reinvigorate the program by providing ambassadors and their programming efforts a continued source of financial support.
The group employs several strategies to spread its message across campus and ensure that Volunteers are educated about recovery and substance misuse.
“We offer support services, community engagement activities and educational programming,” Anderson said. “Our support services include one-on-one meetings, weekly recovery meetings led by our Rocky Top Recovery ambassadors, a recovery hangout and educational programs such as recovery ally training.”
Of special note is the recovery ally training. Led by the group’s student ambassadors, these meetings generate awareness and build support for the group’s work.
Rocky Top Recovery’s student ambassadors are a group of fellow Volunteers fully dedicated to spreading awareness and information about substance misuse and recovery to their peers.
“This 50-minute presentation is designed to equip participants with the knowledge needed to help a friend or fellow Vol who may be experiencing problems related to substance misuse,” Anderson said.
These meetings include education about substance misuse, what recovery is and how one can actively support their peers.
The group plans to host more meetings and events, explicitly mentioning the upcoming Collegiate Recovery Day on April 15. The event will be held in the Student Union Plaza from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring live bands, guest speakers and more.
Students who want more information or are interested in becoming involved with Rocky Top Recovery can visit CHEW’s website or stop by one of the many outreach events held across campus.
