Philadelphia — The Independence Blue Cross (IBX) Foundation convened representatives from more than a dozen colleges and universities as well as key employer and government stakeholders on Oct. 10 to discuss the continued need for recovery support on college campuses and in the workplace. The event — the IBX Foundation Recovery Ready Summit — aimed to advance Pennsylvania’s leadership for making Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRPs) accessible to students and highlight the need for recovery-ready transitions to employment.
Additionally, the Foundation announced the opening of a collegiate recovery program grant application for colleges and universities to apply for first-year funding — up to $50,000 — to establish or expand a recovery program in Southeastern Pennsylvania. The grant application is open October 12 to November 10. Colleges and universities can direct questions to ibxfoundationgrants@ibx.com.
Approximately two in five U.S. college students meet the criteria for a substance use disorder and require treatment. Collegiate recovery programs help reduce the recovery and relapse cycle by 15 years and students who participate in these programs report higher than average GPAs and graduation rates. In 2021, the IBX Foundation announced its commitment to collegiate recovery programs in collaboration with the Association of Recovery in Higher Education. As a result, the IBX Foundation has awarded grants totaling more than $1 million to fourteen area colleges and universities, making Pennsylvania the fastest growing in number of collegiate recovery programs nationally.
“The absence of recovery programs on college campuses is concerning when we consider the number of young people affected by addiction" said Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation. "These programs support students in their recovery or impacted by addiction, so they have the best opportunity to succeed in higher education. That's why we remain committed to advancing collegiate recovery efforts in our region and the nation."
IBX Foundation has been a leader in the fight to end the opioid crisis since 2017. Its initiatives focus on reducing the stigma of addiction, expanding access to treatment and overdose prevention, and creating inclusive recovery environments through grants to area nonprofits totaling more than $5 million; and the Someone You Know® movement that includes a public awareness campaign and national conference in 2018, an educational Forum in Washington DC in 2022 , and a global podcast, now in its third season.
About the Independence Blue Cross Foundation
The Independence Blue Cross Foundation is leading a future for equitable health in our communities and nation. The IBX Foundation’s grant programs and the Independence Blue Cross Foundation Institute for Health Equity are advancing three areas of impact: Access to Care, the Healthcare Workforce, and Health Equity.
Since its inception, the IBX Foundation’s most important stakeholder – the community – has been at the center of the work. By the end of 2023, the IBX Foundation will have awarded grants totaling more than $80 million to support nonprofits and research improving the health and well-being of communities in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Learn more by visiting our website: ibxfoundation.org. Connect with the Independence Blue Cross Foundation on LinkedIn.