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Alcohol/Other Drug Prevention
Recovery Support

Alcohol/Other Drug Prevention 

Student Wellness Substance Use Prevention and Education staff work to reduce the negative impacts of substance use across the Iowa State University campus through evidence-based strategies including education, prevention, and brief interventions. Staff oversee initiatives and provide several scheduled and by-request trainings and presentations to students. To learn more about campus-wide efforts you can view our Alcohol/Other Drug Biennial Review Report. 

Required Student Education: AlcoholEdu 

Every year, all first-year students entering Iowa State from high school and new transfer students will be required to complete the online alcohol risk reduction program, AlcoholEdu. Students should log on to Canvas for detailed information and to complete the requirement within the given time frame. 

AlcoholEdu is a science-based, interactive online program that provides students with important, reliable information and provides information on alcohol and its effects on the brain, body and behavior. It includes surveys, tests of knowledge and chapters with information about how: 

  • Expectations around how alcohol influences behavior 
  • How alcohol affects learning and memory 
  • How to recognize and respond to an alcohol-related emergency 
  • How the body and brain respond at various blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) 
  • How college students can reduce risk if they choose to consume alcohol 

For technical assistance regarding the online program, please use the Help button tabs within the online course. 

Safer Partying 

Let’s Be Frank and Party Smart campaigns are a collaboration between Iowa State University and the City of Ames. We want your party to be a good experience for you, your guests, and the community. So whether you are a “party thrower” or “party goer”, use this guide and information below to help you reduce your risk of alcohol-related consequences personal, community, and legal. 

Safer Partying Guide 

Naloxone

Naloxone, commonly known by the brand name Narcan®, is a safe medication that can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It works by temporarily blocking opioids from attaching to receptors in the brain, helping restore normal breathing during an overdose emergency.

Naloxone has no potential for misuse and will not harm someone if opioids are not present in their system. Because opioid overdoses can happen unexpectedly, having naloxone readily available can save lives.

How Naloxone Helps: During an opioid overdose, breathing can slow dramatically or stop altogether. Naloxone can quickly reverse these life-threatening effects, providing critical time until emergency medical services arrive.

Signs of an opioid overdose may include:

  • Unresponsiveness or inability to wake the person
  • Slow, shallow, or stopped breathing
  • Blue, gray, or pale lips and fingernails
  • Pinpoint pupils
  • Choking, gurgling, or snoring-like sounds

If you suspect someone is experiencing an overdose, call 911 immediately, administer naloxone if available, and stay with the person until help arrives.

Free Naloxone Training for Students, Faculty, and Staff

Iowa State University Student Wellness is committed to increasing access to lifesaving overdose prevention resources. Students, faculty, and staff can receive a free box of naloxone after completing the Naloxone Training course in Canvas. The training provides information on recognizing an opioid overdose, responding appropriately, and administering naloxone safely.

To request enrollment in the Canvas training, please contact studentwellness@iastate.edu.

Naloxone Available Across Campus

In addition to individual naloxone distribution, all emergency medical cabinets on campus contain a dose of naloxone. These cabinets are available to help ensure rapid access to overdose-reversal medication during emergencies.

To enroll in the training or learn more, contact studentwellness@iastate.edu.

Presentations 

We provide interactive educational sessions for classroom infusion, fraternity and sorority life, staff, faculty, and registered student organizations. The primary emphasis of these presentations is on basic knowledge, harm reduction, and risk management. The presentations are evaluated annually to ensure they consistently meet or exceed established benchmarks and desired outcomes. 

To request a presentation, visit our request link at go.iastate.edu/SHWForm

BASICS/CASICS 

BASICS (Brief Alcohol Screening and Intervention for College Students) and CASICS (Cannabis Screening and Intervention for College Students) are evidence-based harm reduction programs designed to support students in exploring their relationship with alcohol or cannabis. These are two-session programs facilitated in a non-judgmental environment. Through personalized feedback based on interviews and self-assessments, students are empowered to make informed decisions and reduce risky behaviors. These programs are not abstinence-only and do not require students to stop using substances but are designed to meet students where they are and support their goals. 

For more information on how to schedule an appointment please contact Carrie Giese.

Cardinal and Goal’d Tailgate

We help to facilitate the Cardinal and Goal’d Tailgates during the Fall semester. Learn more about the Tailgates by going here https://cyclonesupport.iastate.edu/tailgate

Recovery Support

The Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) is a program of Student Wellness. It is a peer support-based community to provide and connect students in recovery or seeking recovery from chemical and/or behavioral addiction (such as substance use, gambling, gaming, and more) to the necessary services, resources, and opportunities to help them thrive at ISU.

Services under the CRP include our Peer Support, Screening Tools, and our Recovery Ally Training. 

The ISU Collegiate Recovery Program (CRP) has been accredited by the Association for Recovery in Higher Education’s Standardized Review for Collegiate Recovery Advancement as a “Fully Reviewed Program”.

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Peer Support

For more information, please email recovery@iastate.edu. Disclaimer: This inbox is NOT monitored 24/7. Any person or persons in a current crisis should dial 911 or seek other immediate support.

Recovery Ally Training

Student Health and Wellness offers a 90 min recovery ally training for faculty, staff, and students focused on how to support students in recovery or seeking recovery.

In order to create an atmosphere of acceptance and empowerment for students who are in or considering recovery, Recovery Ally training provides an overview of what recovery means and what it looks like to build a recovery positive environment for students in or seeking recovery and to help them feel a greater sense of belonging.

Topics Covered include:

  • Understand the complex nature of substance use disorder
  • Confront stigma regarding substance use disorders and recovery
  • Be able to effectively listen and respond to those who express needs using supportive language
  • Define the multiple pathways approach to achieving wellness in recovery
  • Know available recovery support resources and how to access them

Sign up for training or request group training here.

Confidential Screening Tools

Free, brief, and confidential screening tools to measure your substance use behaviors and get some personalized feedback and connection to resources