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A true college program within a treatment facility is a therapeutic model that combines the two (college classes with addiction treatment) and successfully manages the time between the two to produce long-term success in school and recovery. Some treatment facilities, specifically school programs at other treatment facilities in Orange County, California, do not use this model. When the true college combined with addiction treatment is not used in a therapeutic manner and in the right way, then putting clients in college while they are in addiction treatment could be harmful to the client and cause even more relapses. Some of the more reputable college programs in the Nation are Sober College, the TEACH Program, the Morningside Academic Institute, and Gatehouse Academy, and of course the NTS Academy. All of these programs have developed programs that have successfully combined addiction treatment with higher education by developing programs with special groups, staff, counselors, treatment plans, lectures, etc…and combine them all into a successful program that actually contributes to a client’s sobriety and is not detrimental to it. 

So, when looking for a treatment facility that has a college program make sure it is a separate program from the regular treatment program and that it has its own staff, counselors, groups, lectures, etc… As mentioned earlier, some treatment facilities in Orange County offer college services and label it a college program but remember this is not the same as a true College Program.

Here are a few things to look for when determining which College Program in a Treatment Facility to go to:

1. Make sure the college program at the treatment facility is a separate program with its own groups, lectures, and staff.
2. Make sure the program has an educational expert that can help clients navigate the complicated terrain of the higher education system.
3. Make sure the program monitors the client’s school progress throughout the school semester. What kind of tutoring do they offer? What kind of educational planning? Etc…
4. And finally, make sure that the program takes the clients through an entire school semester and does not let them go on their own after getting them started in school. This has been found to be one of the most detrimental things a treatment facility can do with a client – get them excited and started in school, then leave them to their own devices for the rest of the semester.

A College Program withing a Treatment Facility is not an easy thing to create and few treatment facilities do it right, or know how to do it for that matter. Do your research and ask some tought questions and make sure that the College Program you choose is the right College Program for you!