ST. LOUIS STUDENTS NEED A LIFELINE. A RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOL CAN DELIVER ONE. Recovery high schools are diploma-granting institutions that provide academic and recovery support for students who are committed to substance use disorder recovery.

Already in Place:

• $3.6 million dollars of opioid settlement funds allocated at the state level to ensure the RHS is a public school open to students across the region
• The backing of Missouri’s elected leaders, along with strong support from the Department of Mental Health (DMH) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

What We Need:

• A robust referral and support network to connect and uplift students
• An engaged and passionate community committed to nurturing and supporting this vital resource, both now and well into the future

Why does St. Louis need a Recovery High School?
Surroundings matter, especially to teens. Exposure to and access to alcohol or other drugs “normalizes” substance use and makes it “the thing to do”. Studies indicate that 60 to 70 percent of students with addiction problems relapse upon returning to their former high schools after treatment. Spending time in places where they previously used drugs or seeing friends they’ve used drugs with can trigger relapse. Academic demands and intense course work can also contribute to the temptation to use substances as an escape from stress.

Are Recovery High Schools effective?
There are currently 44 recovery high schools nationwide, with some operating successfully for over 30 years. Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) highlights the significant benefits of recovery high schools, including higher graduation rates and improved long-term sobriety among students.

Why Aspire?
Aspire is an organization that is made up of teens, young adults, and parents with lived experience. Our mission is to improve the identification, treatment, and reimbursement of behavioral health services for young people. Aspire members began working on the RHS project when it was still a piece of legislation, and we are proud to say that we brought the voices of people with lived experience to Jefferson City on multiple occasions to pass legislation in support of the RHS.

Thanks to a grant from the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (CSF), we are able to continue our work to bring this school to fruition in collaboration with DMH, DESE, RHS experts,  behavioral health professionals, and community advocates. At the same time, we are building a robust referral network to ensure students across the region have access to this vital resource.

Resources
St. Louis Area RHS Info
Association of Recovery Schools

Check out other Recovery High Schools
5280 High School – Denver, Colorado
Hope Academy High School – Indianapolis, IN
Ostiguy High School – Boston, MA
P.E.A.S.E. Academy – Minneapolis, MN

ST. LOUIS RECOVERY HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT SUPPORTED BY ST. LOUIS COUNTY CHILDREN’S SERVICE FUND.