Warriors in the Community is a radio segment that features short, insightful interviews with key figures from Wayne State University about the many ways in which the university and its programs make a positive impact on the metro area and on the lives of Detroiters. 

This episode features a conversation with Jeff Kuentzel, Ph.D., director of Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), about the Collegiate Recovery Program, a new effort currently focused on supporting students and their allies who are in recovery from substance abuse. Launched in October 2023, CRP seeks to provide a supportive environment within the campus culture that reinforces the decision to engage in a lifestyle of recovery from substance use. 

Announcer:  This is Warriors in the Community, brought to you by Wayne State University. And now, to learn about how Wayne State is positively impacting our communities, here's Darrell Dawsey.

Darrell Dawsey: Today, I'm with Jeff Kuentzel, Ph.D., Director of Counseling and Psychological Services, and the Director of the Collegiate Recovery Program.

Jeff Kuentzel: Thanks, Darrell. 

Darrell Dawsey: So what is the Collegiate Recovery Program and how will it work at Wayne State?

Jeff Kuentzel: There are about 150 Collegiate Recovery Programs in the country. The goal is to support students who are in recovery from substance use issues. It's a peer-led approach where we are going to offer different activities that support students, sober, fun, support groups, and educational programming.

Darrell Dawsey: You got a grant from the Jamie Daniels Foundation to help establish this program?

Jeff Kuentzel: Correct. So, uh, Jamie Daniels Foundation in conjunction with the Children's Foundation, generously provide support to programs that are aimed at recovery. and prevention of substance use. There's about eight other schools in the state of Michigan besides Wayne State that are funded by the Jamie Daniels Foundation.

About 15 percent of college students in this country would be diagnosable with a substance use disorder.

Darrell Dawsey: What prompted Wayne State to take action now?

Jeff Kuentzel: The student asking why we don't have a collegiate recovery program given that many large universities have one and so we listened to the students and when the opportunity for the funding came along.

We jumped on it. There's a few studies on collegiate recovery programs, and they show that 95 percent of students who actively participate in these programs maintain their recovery and even continue after graduation. So once they are moving on with the rest of their lives, they're more likely to maintain recovery.

Darrell Dawsey: That's good news. Well, Jeff, thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us.

Jeff Kuentzel: My pleasure, Darrell.

Announcer: This has been Warriors in the Community. For more Wayne State news, please visit us online at today.wayne.edu slash wwj and join us here next Monday at the same time for more Warriors in the Community.