Colleges offer programs, services to stop alcoholism

Alcohol abuse and related incidents are nothing new at universities around the nation or on Murray State's campus.

Several universities across the country have spearheaded on-campus programs to help keep students clean and sober for life. Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland has established a residential recovery service on the campus to aid students who are dealing with the repercussions of alcohol abuse.

"Case's recovery facility is actually a home which has been renovated or transformed into two apartments," Jes Sellers, director of University Counseling Services for Case Western, said. "It is a co-ed facility, but currently we only have men living there."

According to the Associated Press, there are an estimated 1,400 alcohol-related deaths each year among college students, most involving car accidents. A government study released in 2003 stated that binge drinking was climbing fastest among 18-to-20-year-olds.

In 1999, Harvard University's School of Public Health surveyed students at 119 colleges asking questions about their drinking habits. The study found that 51 percent of the men drank five or more drinks and 41 percent of women drank four or more drinks in a given night.

Many college officials are establishing and fine-tuning programs to help those students who suffer from alcohol abuse and don't know where to turn.

Every student who applies to live in the recovery dorm must agree to develop a treatment plan with one of the counseling center professionals.

"The mission is both simple and challenging," Sellers said. "(It is) to help our students at risk regain their ability to remain an active student, make healthy choices and to contribute to Case's powerful learning environment."

Sellers said the dorm has received a lot of attention, including an offer from MTV to use the house as a focus of a new reality show. Sellers declined the offer.

Don Kamalsky, director of Housing for Case, said the house has been a huge success.

"There has been great success in supporting (the) students treatment program," he said. "No dropouts (thus far)."

Although Murray State does not offer a similar program, the Counseling and Testing Center on campus offers services for those who are suffering from alcohol abuse.

Bill Allbritten, director of the center, said it offers an initiative level of counseling.

"The center offers an initial evaluation to determine whether there are other issues contributing to the abuse and to look at past history," said Allbritten.

Alcoholism is something that can often times go unnoticed.

"People have this image of a drunk in a gutter as a person who is suffering from alcohol abuse," said Allbritten.

But that is simply not the case, he said.

"Hard working, white collar individuals can suffer from it just as much as another person," said Allbritten.

With alcohol abuse comes serious consequences and because the Testing and Counseling Center is not a treatment facility, it often makes referrals for people to get further assistance. Allbritten said many times, alcohol abuse goes hand in hand with other ongoing factors in people's lives.

"Many people deal with stress and with other problems by drinking," said Allbritten.

Besides the initial level of testing, Murray State does offer other services.

"At one time Murray State offered regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, but currently they do not meet," said Judy Lyle, director of Health Services. "But the Coalition for Alcohol Risk education does meet, which meets to try to prevent harm from the consumption of alcohol."

Lyle said Murray State does not offer services like those of Case, simply because there is not a huge need in the area.

Even without numerous services, Murray State, Case Western Reserve University and other schools offer many counseling programs to help stop alcohol problems that may affect students.