SCCC Connects Students to Substance Use Support

Morgan Lee

Photo provided by Andrei Burul.

The Center for Prevention and Counseling continues its outreach efforts at Sussex County Community College in Newton, providing education and resources on substance use prevention and recovery to students, faculty and staff.

On Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., staff members set up a table inside the college's Student Center Building to offer information and services including substance use prevention, evaluation, counseling and recovery support. This partnership, which began in September, creates a stable, accessible presence on campus for individuals seeking help or information related to substance use.

Through this collaboration, CFPC provides consistent support to members of the campus community, as well as resources for their family members and friends. The goal of this outreach effort is to meet people where they are, accept individuals without judgment and reduce barriers to accessing care and resources.

“This collaboration is a gift; it provides an opportunity to do direct outreach to college students who otherwise may not know how or where to find information about recovery,” said Andrei Burul, volunteer coordinator in the recovery pillar at CFPC.

Additionally, staff distribute life-saving harm reduction supplies, including Narcan, condoms and substance test strips, to students and employees. Narcan has been an essential, life-saving component distributed throughout this partnership. Narcan reverses opioid overdoses, and Burul shared that he conducts brief, on-the-spot trainings for campus community members.

“I have been able to reach several students who are in recovery, and have distributed over 40 Narcan kits to students, faculty and staff since the beginning of this partnership,” said Burul.

The weekly presence of CFPC allows staff to connect with students and become a familiar face on campus. Continuing to educate the campus community about recovery and available programming helps expand support networks and strengthen connections between the college and CFPC.

Burul said, “We want to continue to strengthen the connection between SCCC and CFPC. There is talk of CFPC getting further involved with SCCC educational programming.”

As the partnership continues, both organizations aim to expand access to resources and strengthen support systems for students and faculty seeking substance use resources.