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Student Health and Wellness strives to promote an environment that supports the health and safety of students, on campus and in the community.  Student Health and Wellness provides alcohol and other drug prevention, early intervention, & recovery support services to ensure that substance use is not a barrier to a student’s academic, personal, or professional success. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive range of evidence-based services that equip UConn students with the knowledge and skills to achieve life-long wellbeing.   

 

 

Services

BASICS: Balancing Alcohol and Substances to Improve College Success​

Balancing Alcohol and Substances to Improve College Success (BASICS) is a program that connects you with a supportive and non-judgmental facilitator trained to help you explore your use of alcohol or other substances. The purpose of these sessions is to provide a private space where you can have an open conversation about these topics without feeling any shame or fear of consequence. Our goal is to help you identify what is working for you as well as any changes you may want to make to support your overall well-being. 

Sessions:  Two sessions that are scheduled two weeks apart. The first session is an hour and a half (1.5 hours). The second session is an hour (1 hour).

Fees: No fee for sessions. Late cancellation/ no show fee: $15

Scheduling:

Visit student health portal

Select ‘Alcohol and Cannabis Screening’ under Type of Service

Then select ‘BASICS’ or 'BASICS (Webex)'

Questions: Please feel free to email Audrey Kelley at audrey.kelley@uconn.edu regarding any questions or concerns.

Alcohol & Other Drug Counseling

Alcohol and Other Drug services are designed to offer specialized help to those whose alcohol and other drug use has progressed beyond college experimentation. 

We help by:

Identifying those at risk as early as possible

Helping stop the progression of substance-related problems from reaching a point where academic careers, health, relationships, social life, and legal status is jeopardized.

Sessions: Through education, group therapy and brief individual counseling, and, if needed, collaborating with outside providers for more intensive services, we help students halt the downward spiral and reclaim control of their lives.

Schedule: If you’re interested in our services, please visit How to Get Started.

 

Nicotine Reduction Counseling

Looking to quit nicotine? SHaW has trained specialists who are here to help!

Whether you smoke, vape, or use smokeless tobacco, we have Tobacco Treatment Specialists at SHaW who specialize in assisting you on your quitting journey. Through our Know-U-Well program, Nurse Coaches can help provide smoking withdrawal treatments, mindfulness techniques, and skills to help cope with triggers. Our student-centered approach uses evidence-based tools and techniques.  We can even connect you with FREE resources.

We also have nicotine replacement products available at our Pharmacy including nicotine patches, lozenges and gum. Our pharmacy staff is available to assist in finding the correct product for you.

This is a no cost appointment held at SHaW's Hilda May Williams Building.

These appointments are delivered by our Know-U-Well Nurse Coaches. Call (860) 486-2719 to book your appointment today.

Alcohol & Other Drug Education

AlcoholEdu_logo

As part of the university’s comprehensive prevention efforts for students, UConn requires all incoming students to complete AlcoholEdu for College. AlcoholEdu is an online, evidence-based alcohol prevention program that empowers college students to make well-informed and safe decisions about alcohol.   

AlcoholEdu Log in

AlcoholEdu

Welcome to UConn, and congratulations on becoming part of the UConn family!

The faculty and staff at UConn share your excitement and wish you success as you reach your personal and academic goals. At UConn, we take pride in creating a positive experience for students both in and out of the classroom.

UConn students have many opportunities for growth and learning; however, there will be challenges as well. We recognize that students may have difficult decisions in balancing academics with social life. A topic of concern faced by universities across the country, including top academic institutions like ours, is substance use. Alcohol and other drug use have the potential to influence a student’s overall health, safety, and academic success.

As part of our comprehensive prevention efforts for students, UConn mandates all incoming students to complete AlcoholEdu® for College. AlcoholEdu is an online, non-opinionated alcohol prevention program that empowers college students to make well-informed and safe decisions about alcohol. Instructions to complete the course will be sent on August 10th when AlcoholEdu opens.

Completion of AlcoholEdu at your previous university does not exempt you from completing the program.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: AlcoholEdu for the 2024 fall semester opens on August 7th for all incoming students. Students need to complete Part 1 by August 21st and complete Part 2 by October 16th. 

Even if a student abstains from alcohol, it can influence their life and the lives of family and friends. AlcoholEdu is designed to help students’ navigate the drinking behaviors of others, and to learn strategies to protect themselves as well as the rest of the UConn pack.

UConn is committed to the health, happiness, and success of all of our students. Thank you in advance for taking this course and for taking a first step to learn how to help another Husky.

Sincerely,

Student Health and Wellness

 

Log in AlcoholEdu Online Course

  • To log in to AlcoholEdu you will need your NetID and password. 

AlcoholEdu Log in

AlcoholEdu for Parents

Instructions for Parents and Guardians

AlcoholEdu® for Parents Directions

The content is available at AlcoholEdu For Parents and includes:

An overview of the AlcoholEdu for College course structure and key concepts.

A demo video that provides you with an overview of the course experience your child will be moving through.

Helpful resources, such as tips on talking to your college student about alcohol, warning signs of an alcohol problem and links to additional resources.

Need Help?

Should you experience any difficulties or require support, the AlcoholEdu® Online Technical Support Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Simply click on the “Technical Help” button located in the upper right-hand corner of every AlcoholEdu® for Parents screen. You do not need to be logged into the course to access the Technical Support Center.

 

AlcoholEdu FAQ

Where can I log into AlcoholEdu?

AlcoholEdu Log in

If you have questions on how to access your Vector LMS account please email alcoholedu@uconn.edu.

I am having technical difficulties with AlcoholEdu. Where can I find assistance?
For technical difficulties within the course, please reach out to Vector LMS directly. Their contact information can be found here.

My question is not technical, whom should I contact?
All questions other than technical difficulties should be directed to alcoholedu@uconn.edu. We are unable to take calls regarding AlcoholEdu. We require email correspondence to verify that we are speaking with an UConn student. Email correspondence is the best way to communicate as it avoids errors that could be made over the phone. University email is the official communication with students.

 I just finished Part 1 of AlcoholEdu today, when will Part 2 be available for me to complete?
Part 2 of AlcoholEdu opens 45 days after a student completes Part 1 of the program. This 45 day intersession is a required part of the program and is immovable.

 I finished Part 2 of AlcoholEdu today, when will the hold be removed from my account?
Once a student has completed Part 2 of AlcoholEdu and has earned an 80% or better on the exam, the hold is removed within 2 business days.  

Echeck-up To Go Self Assessment

These free, anonymous online assessment tools offer participants an opportunity to receive personalized feedback about their substance use, in the convenience and comfort of their own space.  For students interested in making changes to their substance use, we recommend completion of the BASICS (alcohol-focused) or MAPP (cannabis-focused) program to receive more individualized support in conjunction with these assessment tools.   

Echeck-up To Go for Alcohol 

Echeck-up To Go for Cannabis

Facts on Tap

Compete in a team-based trivia game that tests your knowledge about alcohol! Trivia topics include BAC, tolerance, how the body metabolizes alcohol, and how to help your friends stay safe.  This program is open to any student group and facilitated by a Student Health & Wellness staff member.

To request, please submit a program request form.

 

Additional Resources

Alcohol: Strategies to Reduce Your Risk

Utilize these strategies to avoid the not-so-good impacts alcohol can have sometimes.  

Utilize standard drink sizes—Pour standard drinks so each drink really is only one drink.

Set limits you think will work for you—Students who have 4 or more drinks (females) or 5 or more (males) in one sitting are at increased risk for alcohol-related harm.  Aiming for below that number is a great place to start!  

Eat before drinking—it’ll help slow the absorption of alcohol and keep you feeling your best. 

Pace yourself—sip and savor to both reduce your risk and enjoy yourself more.  For more on how to pace yourself, see our guide to pacing below.  

Hydrate—drinking water before, during, and after drinking alcohol goes a long way.  Alternating alcoholic beverages with water or other non-alcoholic drinks can be helpful. 

Get home safely—Grab a ride from a fellow (sober) Husky offering, or take a walk home with friends to make sure you get to your final destination safely!

reducing your risk

Cannabis: Strategies to Reduce Your Risk

Utilize these strategies to reduce or avoid the potential not-so-good impacts cannabis can have.  

Take a break—Experiment with cutting back on how much or how frequently you consume cannabis.  Small changes can make a big difference! 

Consider your timing—Avoid consuming cannabis before doing homework, taking exams, or going to class.  Cannabis can impact cognition, and it’s important to have a clear mind so you can do your best academically! 

Avoid sharing—Colds & the flu can pass from person to person from sharing joints, blunts, bongs, pipes, or vape pens.  Sometimes caring means not sharing!  

Keep it simple—Avoid mixing cannabis with tobacco, alcohol, or other drugs.  Multiple substances in the body complicates things, and can have some unpleasant effects. 

Get a safe ride home—Grab a ride from a fellow (sober) Husky offering, or take a walk home with friends to make sure you get to your final destination safely! Driving high puts an individual at a significantly increased risk of being in a car accident.   

Guide to Pacing

Pacing or spacing out how much alcohol you’re consuming over a period of time is a great way to reduce your risk of experiencing alcohol-related harms.

Strategies for pacing yourself include:

  • Alternating non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks
  • Eating a meal before drinking to slow the absorption of alcohol
  • Trying to avoid drinking games and pre-gaming

To understand pacing on a deeper level, check out the following information about Standard Drinks, BAC, the Biphasic Effect, and When to Call for Help.

Standard Drinks

Knowing standard drink sizes is helpful if you’re trying to figure out how much alcohol is in your drink. Below is a guide that shows standard drink sizes for some common types of alcohol. Be aware, however, that some beverages may contain a higher percentage of alcohol than what’s shown. Some types of beer—IPAs, for example—are often much higher than 5% alcohol.

Source: NIAAA.govreducing your risk

Blood Alcohol Concentration

Once you know how to pour a standard drink, you can estimate your BAC. BAC stands for Blood Alcohol Concentration and is the ratio of alcohol to blood in your body.

Biological sex, body weight, amount consumed, and drinking pace are the most significant influences on BAC. Utilizing a BAC calculator is a great way to get a sense of what your BAC might look like, while taking those variables into account. You can find one here. Please note that results from these calculators are estimations and should not be used to determine if you can safely drive.

Included here is a general guide to what someone without a tolerance might experience at each BAC range.

Source: NIAAA.gov

BAC-scale

Biphasic Effect

Utilize what you know about your BAC to consider a drink limit that’s right for you. A BAC of .06 is considered the point of diminishing returns– the BAC at which drinking more alcohol leads to fewer of the pleasurable effects associated with drinking. Keeping your BAC below .06 will reduce experiences you might want to avoid, such as blacking out, feeling nauseous, or doing things you’ll later regret.

Biphasic

When to Call for Help

Below are signs to look out for that indicate a fellow Husky needs medical attention. What’s most important though, is to recognize when your gut is telling you that something isn’t right. If you’re wondering if you should call for help, that’s the moment you know you have to.

Signs of Alcohol Poisoning:

  • Confusion
  • Difficulty remaining conscious , or inability to wake up
  • Vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Slow or irregular breathing
  • Slow heart rate
  • Clammy skin
  • Body temperature change
  • Skin color changes (could be bluish or pale)

These signs indicate someone needs immediate medical attention—call 911. Remember, UConn’s #1 priority is the safety of our students, which is why we have a Good Samaritan Statement in place. You can read that statement here.

How to Support Friends Who May be Struggling with Substance Use

Listen—Heavy alcohol or other drug use often develops to manage something that otherwise feels unbearable (anxiety, hopelessness, loneliness, physical and/or emotional pain, etc.).  Listen for what’s underneath the use.  Offering compassion and friendship can go a long way for someone who’s been struggling alone.

Let them know you care—When sharing your concerns, try describing what you've noticed—for example, "You mentioned feeling more anxious lately.  I've noticed you’re smoking more often, too."

Be a bridge to resources—UConn has lots of resources available.  Help your friend find an option that fits their needs.

Offer substance-free ways to connect—Giving your friend a sober way to be in community with others can be a huge help.  The UConn Recovery Community offers weekly meetings and can be another opportunity for your friend to find fellowship while making changes to their substance use.

Become a Recovery Ally—Participate in UConn's Recovery Ally Training, a program that exists to expand awareness, sensitivity, and support to students in (or seeking) recovery from substance use disorders.

Practice self-care—Honor your own limitations and needs. Remember that you are human and can only affect change for things within your control.  You can’t give to others what you don’t have to offer; taking care of yourself will keep you well and able to support your friend.

Resources for Making Changes to Your Substance Use

IntelliDrink: IntelliDrink is a blood alcohol content (BAC) calculator for the iPhone. Watch your BAC rise and fall on the graph and analyze your consumption with IntelliDrink's statistics! Set a limit and get notified when you exceed or fall below your limit. 

The T-Break Guide: A day-by-day guide to support you in taking a successful break from cannabis.  

QuitSTART: The quitSTART app is a free smartphone app that helps you quit smoking with tailored tips, inspiration, and challenges. 

This is Quitting Program: The first-of-its-kind program to help young people quit vaping, This is Quitting gives young adults the motivation and support they need to ditch JUUL and other e-cigarettes.

 

Sources for Evidence-Based Information

Campus Drug Prevention: A compendium of resources, including a Student Center with student-specific resources, to prevent drug abuse among college students. The US Drug Enforcement Administration is committed to promoting the importance of prevention and its role in helping ensure the health and safety of our nation’s colleges and universities. 

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC is the nation’s health protection agency, working 24/7 to protect America from health and safety threats, both foreign and domestic. 

Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery (HECAOD): It is the mission of the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery, in partnership with the nation’s colleges and universities, to promote student success nationally by providing data-driven solutions to alcohol and drug misuse; lead the dialogue on collegiate alcohol and drug misuse and recovery in the national agenda; and ensure the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the Center’s efforts. 

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA): NIAAA is one of the 27 institutes and centers that comprise the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NIAAA supports and conducts research on the impact of alcohol use on human health and well-being. It is the largest funder of alcohol research in the world. 

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA’s mission is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. 

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that leads public health efforts to advance the behavioral health of the nation. SAMHSA's mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

Resources for Recovery

Alcoholics Anonymous
Sharing strength, hope, and experience for individuals who are working towards sobriety from alcohol or individuals who are in recovery from alcohol use. Membership is open to anyone who has a desire to stop drinking.

American Society of Addiction Medicine
Leading the movement to transform America's addiction treatment infrastructure and expand access to research-validated, results-based care.

Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE)
The Association of Recovery in Higher Education (ARHE) is the only association exclusively representing collegiate recovery programs (CRPs) and collegiate recovery communities (CRCs), the faculty and staff who support them, and the students who represent them. ARHE provides the education, resources, and community connection needed to help change the trajectory of recovering student’s lives. We are a network of professionals, administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents and policy makers.

CT Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR)
Whether you are contemplating a life in recovery, are new to recovery, or are in long term recovery, CCAR is here to help you to navigate the recovery community, by connecting you with others in recovery and providing access to area support services.

CT State Conference of Young People in AA (CSCYPAA)
The purpose of CSCYPAA is to carry the AA message of recovery, unity, and service to a vast number of members, and to encourage young people in AA to become actively involved in service, as well as acquaint the members of the fellowship with all activities available to them throughout the area.

Eating Disorder Resources

Drug Free CT
Are you seeking various treatment options?
Find various treatment resources, including in-patient and outpatient programs.

In the Rooms
A global recovery community found online, allowing individuals to access meetings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Individuals can choose from a variety of meetings that best suit their needs.

Marijuana Anonymous
A community-based organization that offers recovery from the effects of addiction through a 12-step program. Provides an ongoing support network for individuals with an addiction to drugs and individuals who want to maintain a drug-free lifestyle.

Narcotics Anonymous
A community-based organization that offers recovery from the effects of addiction through a 12-step program. Provides an ongoing support network for individuals with an addiction to drugs and individuals who want to maintain a drug-free lifestyle.

Ohio State University Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery
It is the mission of the Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Drug Misuse Prevention and Recovery, in partnership with the nation’s colleges and universities, to promote student success nationally by providing data-driven solutions to alcohol and drug misuse; lead the dialogue on collegiate alcohol and drug misuse and recovery in the national agenda; and ensure the long-term sustainability and effectiveness of the Center’s efforts.

SMART Recovery
Are you looking for a program without a higher power?
SMART Recovery is a global community of people and families working together to resolve addictive problems. Participants learn from one another using a self-empowering approach based on the most current science of recovery.
Self-Help Addiction Recovery – SMART Recovery 4-Point Program – Alternative to AA

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Find various treatment resources.

Young Adult Resources:
Active Minds

Young People in Recovery

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