(The Center Square) – Grants for high schools helping students recover from substance abuse or mental health challenges are now open for application in Wisconsin.
The grants, announced by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, would go towards creating and planning recovery high schools in the state.
According to the act establishing the grant, recovery high schools are primarily designed for students in recovery from substance abuse or a mental health disorder that coexists with substance abuse.
Eligible organizations include nonprofits and public, private and tribal schools, which may submit a proposal and itemized budget in a grant amount up to $100,000.
The legislatures bill fiscal estimate showed the program could cost $500,000 of taxpayer funds annually.
“As the Assembly author of Act 72 and legislator who is deeply concerned about substance abuse in our state, I am thankful that DPI is working with us to get the word out about recovery school grants,” Rep. Barbara Dittrich, R-Oconomowoc, told The Center Square. “The sooner we get these students this sort of comprehensive help, the more likely they will have the opportunity to enjoy their future to the fullest.”
Eleven percent of youth have misused prescription pain medication, and over 50 percent of Wisconsin children have consumed alcohol by their freshman year of high school, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
In some places, substance abuse and alcohol usage correlate with worse performance in school.
Only 15 percent of students at the Manitowoc Public School District who currently struggle with substance abuse meet proficiency in reading, while only 10 percent meet proficiency in math, as first reported by Wisconsin Public Radio. Additionally, these students miss 20 percent of school days.
While there are more than 40 recovery high schools nationally, according to the Association of Recovery Schools, only one exists in Wisconsin, although there are plans to expand soon.
The recovery high school grant program is designed to aid in that expansion.
“Educators and families work together to prepare students for the real world, no matter their race, faith, or life experiences,” Christina Brey, spokeswoman for the Wisconsin Education Association Council, told The Center Square. “That especially holds true for teens battling addictions. A recovery high school can provide the one-on-one attention and emotional support they need to overcome obstacles and save lives.”
To be eligible to enroll in recovery high schools, students must also express a desire to achieve sobriety, commit to attending the school daily, consent to weekly drug tests and not test positive for any controlled substances during their probationary period drug test.
Applications for the grant program are being accepted through June 20, 2025, according to the Department of Public Instruction.
