High School for Addicts

Yes, it's true. There is such a thing as a high school where all of the students are recovering substance abusers. In Massachusetts alone there are three publicly funded high schools where students who are overcoming addiction can go to learn free from temptation. The concept comes from the idea that the students will be safe and more motivated in an environment that is conducive to their recovery.

The first recovery high school in the country opened in Minnesota in 1989. Since that time about 20 schools have been established across 10 states. In 2006 Massachusetts opened recovery high schools in Beverly, Boston and Springfield. The structure at these schools is very similar to that of traditional high schools. Students are referred to the schools in a number of ways: by parole officers, parents, their previous high schools, the Department of Children and Families, and even some rehab or detox centers. The tuition is paid for by their home school district and the Department of Public Health provides each school with up to $500,000 a year for substance abuse counseling and training, in addition to drug testing.

While most recovery schools in the U.S. require students to commit to full sobriety before enrolling in the school, the recovery high school in Beverly, which is one of the three publicly funded recovery schools in Massachusetts, is taking a much lighter approach. Principal Michelle Lipinksi believes that the most important thing is that the school offers a safe environment for the students who are working through their recovery process. Regardless of whether or not the students are still struggling with drug use she believes they should still be allowed to participate in the program. As she said in a bostonmagazine.com article, "Sobriety isn't how I measure success."

There is significant amount of research that shows how the adolescent brain makes teenagers more susceptible to drug use. The nucleus accumbens, which is the pleasure center of the brain, has not fully developed in adolescents so they are more likely to seek out spontaneity and excitement. Also, the frontal cortex of the adolescent brain, which senses caution, is not fully developed.

Statistics showing drug use among adolescents is astounding:

• The National Institute on Drug Abuse found that about half of the nation's 12th graders have used a drug at some point in their lives and almost a quarter of the nation's students have done so in the last month.
• Over 5 percent of 12th graders smoke pot every day and almost 8 percent of students in grades 6-11 smoke pot everyday.
• In Massachusetts alone the Department of Health reports that about 1,700 kids ages 12-17 receive state funding for substance abuse each year.

So should these recovery schools enforce a zero tolerance drug policy? By doing so will they scare away students who desperately yearn for a safe environment not offered at regular public high schools? Another thing to consider is whether a student using at these recovery schools will tempt another student to use and, in turn, cause a ripple effect throughout the entire school? There is room for debate on the topic. Next week I will be speaking with Harvard psychologist John Kelly, who is also the associate director of the Center for Addiction Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. Look forward to his opinions on the topic and what he thinks is the best for the students at recovery high schools.