EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Campus Engagement

Caron’s customized programming and services for students, parents, and faculty/staff helps colleges and universities to address substance use and promote a safe environment.

5 Diverse teenagers sitting on the lawn while smiling.

Meeting the needs of your campus community

Uses evidence-informed practices

to help campuses address harmful substance use
Partners with higher education

to develop programming for professionals, students, and parents

Highlights of Campus Engagement

A college or university campus allows students to explore their interests, grow in their sense of identity, and learn how to manage new challenges. As students live into those possibilities and face those challenges, some may also struggle with substance use concerns.

Caron’s Campus Engagement Program uses evidence-informed practices to assist colleges in addressing those concerns with services and programs for students, their families, faculty, and staff.

Student Services

Based on decades of clinical and research experience, our programs address college students’ varying concerns regarding substance use. Our direct services include prevention and wellness, group education, brief intervention, referral to treatment, and recovery support. Through these services, we seek to empower students to make healthy, informed choices and connect them with the best resources to meet their needs.

Assessment/brief intervention services: As one of the country’s premier drug and alcohol treatment centers, Caron has the expertise and experience to address the issues that young adults struggling with alcohol and other drug use face. Trained professionals administer assessments and brief interventions and include a recommendation for follow up as well as personalized feedback and motivational enhancements.
Student leadership/peer training: Caron’s training for resident assistants, peer mentors, student athletes, and other campus leaders teaches them to identify and appropriately address issues including mental health and substance use concerns. Training is customized for the specific peer group and setting. Topics include:
- - Current trends in college high-risk drinking
- - Secondary effects of alcohol on campus communities
- - Safety concerns
Student orientation support: Campus engagement specialists are available to present to incoming students, addressing topics like:
- - Prevention and wellness
- - Substance-free alternatives
- - Myths and realities
- - Campus resources
- - Social norms
Substance use education groups: Caron’s supportive educational intervention for students who have violated policy makes use of the “teachable moment” after the violation to provide information on the dangers of high-risk drinking and introductory information on substance use disorders. Students are also encouraged to evaluate their relationship to substances and develop strategies for success.
Peak Performance for Student-Athletes: During team sessions and/or leadership workshops, student athletes learn how to achieve and maintain their peak performance by recognizing and addressing the unique characteristics that place them at risk for substance abuse problems.

Parent Engagement

Caron specialists offers parents and family members the knowledge and skill set that will help them identify and address concerns and support their students.

Parent orientation/family weekend presentations: Caron campus engagement specialists are available to present on topics such as:
- - Current trends.
- - Parenting for prevention.
- - Encouraging appropriate strategies to help their child launch.
- - How to identify and address substance use concerns.
- - Warning signs of high-risk drinking and/or drug use.
- - How to have a supportive discussion with your student.
- - Key campus and community resources and substance use policies.
Parent intervention training: A Caron campus engagement specialist can provide coaching and guidance to parents who are concerned about their child’s substance use.

Institutional Support

Caron uses an institution’s strengths, assets, and needs to develop programs and services specific to that institution, its students, parents, faculty, and others. To ensure that programs are successful, we provide ongoing support, consultation, and follow-up.

Collegiate recovery program advising: A recovery program can be an integral component of the full continuum of campus behavioral health support. Caron can advise on best practices for establishing a successful, sustainable recovery program that may include substance-free social events and/or housing, dedicated space and staff, and on-campus support groups.
Comprehensive campus asset assessment with recommendations: Caron’s multi-faceted assessment process identifies campus strengths, assets, and needs regarding substance use programming and supports for students. Based on those findings, Caron makes recommendations and identifies strategies to enhance campus programs to address the full continuum of substance use support services.
Consultation on the campus alcohol/drugs policy: Caron reviews current alcohol and other drug policies and advises staff as to best practices to enhance the institution's academic environment and student safety.
Customized educational content: Caron can provide expert content on wellness, prevention, research, and resources regarding substance use concerns for distribution to students, parents, and/or the broader campus community through a variety of platforms.
Staff/faculty professional development: Caron offers professional development that addresses topics such as:
- - The role of staff and faculty in identifying students with substance use concerns
- - Current drug and alcohol trends
- - Best communication practices
- - Prevention and wellness strategies

Meeting the needs of your campus community

Uses evidence-informed practices

to help campuses address harmful substance use
Partners with higher education

to develop programming for professionals, students, and parents