Online guide covers substance abuse at Ole Miss

Students and faculty at the University of Mississippi

Have a new resource for understanding the link between substance abuse and addiction on campus. American Addiction Centers’ web-based content team has launched the research-based Ole Miss Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Guide. Tailored to Ole Miss, it combines addiction information with links to specific resources on campus.

AAC’s team in San Diego, California, worked with Erin Cromeans, UM Assistant Director of Wellness Education, to build the content.

“They are great to work with and very attentive to the needs of our campus,” Cromeans said. “We were able to organize our information to make it most meaningful to our potential readers, including highlighting the substances most commonly used on our campus.”

Campus-specific content includes the university’s disciplinary procedures for drug and alcohol offenses, which the university is revising for the 2018 fall semester.

The guide describes how newfound independence, academic pressures and college culture can all contribute to risky behavior with drugs and alcohol. It also offers resources for how to know whether a friend might have a drug or alcohol problem.

The online guide offers resources for how to know whether a friend might have a drug or alcohol problem.

While the guide is specifically designed for college students and university employees, the resources can be helpful for parents as well.

“Parents are familiar with the risks of binge drinking, but may be less aware of drugs like Adderall that students use to stay awake and study,” said Brianna Leatham, who managed the project for the San Diego team.

“The guide helps shine a light on some of the substances that are commonly used and likely to cause problems for students.”

Research and writing for the guide was provided by writer Lauren Villa, who holds a master’s degree in public health from the University of California, Berkeley.

The site includes a helpline number which connects callers to AAC’s treatment support advisors in Brentwood, Tenn. It also includes links to Rehabs.com’s comprehensive listing of U.S. treatment facilities, where people can search rankings and reviews to choose a treatment center for themselves.

AAC is the parent company of Oxford Treatment Center. The company was among initial supporters for the William Magee Center for Wellness Education at Ole Miss, part of the new South Campus Recreation Center currently under construction.