PORTLAND, Ore. — Thousands of Oregonians struggle with addiction statewide, and services aren’t always available. The issue is especially problematic for teens, who have fewer resources available to them, though a new kind of school is looking to alleviate the lack of resources.
"Typically, some of our students have been to drug and alcohol treatment," said Todd Nicholson, the principal of Rivercrest Academy.
Rivercrest Academy, a school in northeast Portland, is one of four recovery schools funded by the state. Last year, just one school was state funded. Rivercrest Academy opened last year, but it had to rely on funding from Multnomah County schools. The hope is that with money from the Oregon Department of Education, schools can serve more students.
"I had a number of students that we had to turn away last year because their districts couldn't afford the placement,” Nicholson said. “Or didn't have funding for it."
Studies show students at recovery schools are less likely to relapse, Nicholson said. For teens that return to their neighborhood high school, 80% relapse. Those rates drop to just 20% when teens go to a recovery high school.
"I think it definitely should be a bigger thing," said one Rivercrest Academy high school senior.
Some students shared their stories struggling with addiction with KGW, but didn’t want their names shared.
"I'd usually smoke weed, or sometimes I'd do acid or mushrooms," a high school senior said. "I was losing my ability to speak in full sentences, even when I was sober."
Others said they struggled in public schools before transferring to Rivercrest Academy.
"In the public school I was in, everyone around me was just using all the time," another student said. "It sucked, honestly. The communication I had with my teachers went downhill; I wasn't able to reach out to them."
They’re hopeful more money funnels toward recovery schools in future years to help even more students.
"I think it definitely should be a bigger thing," a high school senior added.