An exploratory assessment of a college substance abuse recovery program: Augsburg College's StepUP program

Objective: To describe the academic, life functioning, and drug use outcomes of students who participated in the StepUP recovery program, a college program designed to support sobriety for students recovering from substance abuse. Method: Eighty-three StepUP program students (46 current students and 37 alumni) participated in a survey using a slightly modified version of the Global Appraisal for Individual Needs (Dennis, 1998), which assesses drug involvement, mental health, and other life-functioning domains. In addition, a subset of 20 current students completed a second assessment approximately 6 months after the first. Results: The large majority of both current students and alumni reported that they abstained from alcohol and drug use, and that they regularly attended self-help groups. Perceived personal assets and social support were endorsed at high levels by the respondents, as were screens for mental health problems. Conclusions: Students involved in the StepUP program either currently or in the past were largely able to maintain sobriety, as well as a favorable GPA. StepUP students also endorsed a sizeable amount of assets and social support, which espouse the maintenance of sobriety.