Substance-free dorm aids recovering student addicts

HACKENSACK, N.J. - It was an inaugural year marked by both tragedy and hope at the recovery housing at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J.

One resident battling substance abuse died of an overdose after relapsing during a visit home. But another found solace and support at the new dormitory.

"The living arrangement here has made a difference," said Demetria Washington, a recovering heroin addict who is studying business. "The people in this building are so great."

The building is White Hall, a substance-free dorm where 80 people have signed pledges not to drink booze or take drugs. They can't return to the dorm under the influence.

There also are a dozen beds reserved for students currently in recovery from drug or alcohol addiction, who can also receive support services such as on-site counseling and 12-step meetings.

Of the half dozen students who signed on for the recovery program this school year, only Washington remains. But school officials are confident that the program - funded by a $650,000, three-year state grant - fills a need and will attract more students.

"We didn't know what to expect. But we know there are students out there with these needs," said Glen Sherman, vice president for student development.

Rutgers University was a pioneer in recovery housing, the first school in the country to offer it back in 1988. These days, the university provides 23 beds in New Brunswick and eight in Newark.

The program grew out of a need that emerged during 12-step meetings on campus, said Lisa Laitman, the program director and founder. The students often felt isolated in a college environment where socializing often revolves around partying with alcohol and drugs.

"Students were hungry for a peer support group," Laitman said. "Their former friends were usually users, so they needed a new group."

Paterson officials hope for the same success. A number of applicants already are in the admissions process at the university and at least a half dozen of the recovery beds will be filled by the new semester in September, Sherman said. A dozen recovery students remains a goal because more students would provide a strong support network for one another. "They can be the eyes and ears for each other," he said.

Meanwhile, he and others said a "vibrant" substance-free community has begun to coalesce at White Hall.

The state grant, from the Department of Human Services, provides money for civic and recreational programming, which was used to send students on an alternative spring break at a Habitat for Humanity project in Virginia. And there have been alcohol-free dinners and parties, said Jonathan Lausell, coordinator of residence recovery.

"Students can see that the culture of the substance-free housing is fun," said Lausell.

But the serious business of recovery is a priority, with an emphasis on 12-step meetings and counseling, officials said. And the death this year brought home how difficult the process can be.

"The sad thing is it's a very powerful disease," said Sherman. "Even students in a long period of recovery are at risk. That's why we created this."

While a growing number of colleges have substance-free dorms, there are just about a dozen across the country - including Rutgers - that have beds designated specifically for students in recovery, according to the Association of Recovery Housing. Additionally, there are about 25 high schools around the country, including Daytop Preparatory in Mendham, N.J., with recovery programs. Some of the schools in other states are public and charter schools. The high school programs illustrate the need for supportive college options, experts say.

"There are growing opportunities for students in recovery in college," said Patricia Taylor, director of Faces and Voices of Recover, a national group. "This is a whole new era. There is interest in helping young people sustain their recoveries."

At Rutgers, the recovery housing is separate from other housing, and its location is not announced so as to protect the anonymity of its students. At William Paterson, recovering students are mixed in with the other 80 or so residents of the substance-free housing, an environment that provides emotional support and, if desired, a measure of anonymity for the recovering students.

But Demetria Washington, the recovering student, said she has no desire to keep her new lease on life a secret.

"I'm really proud of myself and where I am today, where I have gotten," said Washington, who, at 41, has returned to college after beating back an 18-year heroin addiction. She's now been clean for 17 months. "I wasted so many years, but now I'm back in school."

Washington learned about the WPU program after Lausell visited her treatment program at Eva's Village in Paterson, N.J.

"It may take a year or two more, but we've planted the seeds," said Lausell. He has been in recovery for 23 years himself and earned a master's degree in social work along the way. He knows how important the support services are.

"We're trying to connect the dots," said Lausell, who lives on campus. "And one of the strongest means is the 12-step meetings."

Professional counseling staff is assigned to White Hall. And other students say White Hall has provided a refreshing vibe and a nice antidote to the noisy party atmosphere in some dorms.

It was a pleasant surprise for James Mercer, a music management major from Levittown. Mercer found himself at the sober residence hall after a roommate situation in another dorm didn't work out.

"When I found out it was substance free, I thought it was a joke," said Mercer. "But it's been such a supportive and quiet and friendly place. Everybody seems to be in a brighter mood. It's been a good thing."