Center for Addiction Prevention & Support
UNITE | EMPOWER | ENGAGE
The Tennessee Tech Center for Addiction Prevention and Support's mission is to reduce and prevent substance misuse among students at Tennessee Tech University and among emerging adults (18-29) within Putnam County and provide support for substance misuse prevention coalitions in the Upper-Cumberland and throughout Tennessee. By utilizing the Strategic Prevention Framework, developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the goal of the Center is to bolster local and regional efforts to reduce substance misuse and support our young adults in active recovery.
- Prevention
Request Safety Material from the Center
Send us a request to pick-up safety items from The Center. We have the following items available for our students and have them available for student pick-up upon request! Send us a message and we will do our best to accommodate your needs. Please allow for extra time if requesting items for a group.
- Drink Covers
- Lock Boxes
- Safe Medication Disposal Kits
Request Safety Materials from the Center
Request Prevention Presentations from the Center
Option to request a prevention presentation for group, business or organization.
We offer a variety of presentations available for presentation on campus and in the surrounding community. Presentations can cover the broad topic of addiction or can be customized to relate to a specific topic like safe alcohol consumption, sexual assault and substance use, etc.
- Recovery
Peer Support
Peer support includes a range of activities and interactions between people with shared experiences.
The purpose of peer support is to help individuals gain independence from substances and other addictive behaviors, improve mental health and physical wellness, and enjoy lasting recovery.
Recovery involves a personal recognition of the need for change. There are many pathways to recovery. Recovery is holistic, self-directed, and empowering. Recovery is inclusive and has deep cultural dimensions. It is a process that includes addressing stigma, shame, and discrimination. Recovery involves building a community, supported by peers and allies, that celebrates healing and personal transformation.
To facilitate this process, the ERC holds weekly peer support meetings. These meetings are loosely structured and facilitated by staff, students, and others with group experience. These meetings are open to any young adult (age 18-29) who is in recovery or interested in recovery from substances, mental health issues, or both. Attendees can expect to share experiences, receive feedback from others, and provide support to others in the group. There is a place for you regardless of where you are in the process of change.
ERC Events
In addition to peer support meetings, the ERC will hold special events and activities that are designed to promote general health, wellness, and connection throughout the year. All ERC events will address one or more of the Eight Dimensions of Wellness- emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. (www.samhsa.gov/wellness-inititiative)
All ERC events, including meetings, social activities, and educational sessions — are sober events.
The ERC is not:
The ERC is not treatment. We can connect those in need to local resources who provide clinical treatment for substance use and mental health disorders.
The ERC is not a crisis support service, nor do we provide 24/7 support. We will connect individuals to campus and community crisis services if needed.
The ERC is not a 12-Step recovery program. Staff can connect members to 12-Step programs in the community. Members may attend our meetings and events in addition to other recovery and treatment programs. It is essential that members maintain connection to any outside resource that is essential to their success, including mental health, medical, and substance use clinical treatment.
All pathways to recovery are welcome in the ERC.
- Research
The Research component of the Center will utilize current strengths at the university in research and evaluation to assist coalitions in the Upper Cumberland 3N region (12 coalitions in 14 counties with 367,039 residents) with their research designs for the community needs assessments and evaluation. The Center will also provide support resources to assist coalitions in the execution of their community needs assessment and evaluation plans.
The Tennessee Tech Center for Addiction Prevention and Support's mission is to reduce and prevent substance misuse among students at Tennessee Tech University and among emerging adults (18-29) within Putnam County and provide support for substance misuse prevention coalitions in the Upper-Cumberland and throughout Tennessee. By utilizing the Strategic Prevention Framework, developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the goal of the Center is to bolster local and regional efforts to reduce substance misuse and support our young adults in active recovery.
Prevention. The Prevention component of the Center focuses on substance misuse prevention activities (a) among students on campus and (b) among emerging adults within Putnam County through the Tennessee Tech Addiction Prevention and Support Coalition, working toward contributing to the prevention work force through university curriculum initiatives and extra-curricular opportunities for students, and partnering with coalitions in the Upper Cumberland 3N region on prevention efforts.
Support. The Support component focuses on building a Eagle Recovery Community for young adults in the Upper Cumberland and Tennessee Tech students in recovery as well as providing support groups for pregnant women in active recovery from a substance use disorder within Putnam County. The Recovery Community will provide weekly recovery meetings free-of-charge and sober activities for students and community members throughout the year.
The vision for the Center is to be a leading force in and strong community partner for transforming lives and communities by removing the stigma of addiction, advancing preventive measures, and ensuring that our young adults have access to the highest quality of support and care for a sustainable recovery. We envision a future where addiction is rare, recovery is celebrated, and holistic well-being is a reality for all.
Our purposes are to
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Prevent the onset and reduce the progression of substance abuse among Tennessee Tech students and members of the Putnam County community
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Reduce substance-related problems at Tennessee Tech, within the Putnam County and Upper-Cumberland community, and throughout Tennessee.
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Build an infrastructure for engaging in effective prevention and recovery activities on campus and within our community
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Work with local community substance abuse prevention coalitions to pursue collaborative prevention activities within the Upper-Cumberland.
The project is funded through grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
If you have any questions about our coalition or if you would like to become a member of our coalition, please do not hesitate to contact us at CAPS@tntech.edu.
Schedule:
Coalition meetings will occur monthly throughout the academic year (September-May). Sign up for our newsletter to stay informed about meeting dates!
Connect with us on social media!
