Important drug and addiction resources

For those battling addiction, there are a number of resources to help.

Hallie Milligan Assistant news editor

College comes with challenges, which can be especially difficult to face when struggling with substance abuse. If you find yourself or a loved one facing these challenges, here is a list of on- and off-campus recovery and support resources to aid in the journey toward sobriety.

The Consultation, Advocacy, Referral and Education (CARE) Team

The CARE Team is an on-campus support group responsible for promoting personal and academic development by directing students to resources that can best accommodate their needs. The team is composed of licensed social workers dedicated to creating judgment-free case management services for students who need help finding the correct resources. The CARE Team is located in Binghamton University Union West, room 207, and can be contacted weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. by phone at (607) 777-2804. The team can also be reached by email at dos@binghamton.edu for general inquiries or to set up a consultation appointment.

The University Counseling Center (UCC) College comes with challenges, which can be especially difficult to face when struggling with substance abuse. The UCC is available to aid students experiencing mental health crises, addiction or those who simply need someone trustworthy to talk to privately. The UCC has many certified counselors available Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. for therapy services. The UCC is located in Old O’Connor Hall, room 264, and can be reached by phone at (607) 777-2772 to set up an appointment.

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Office

Located in the Academic B building, room 202, the

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Office is an on-campus recovery resource dedicated to creating a collaboration of resources available to students struggling with substance abuse. Staff at the office work hard to conduct research, stay upto-date on the most recent support developments and collaborate with outside resources to create a program that meets the needs of students in various stages of recovery. These resources include support groups, events, cannabis and alcohol screening for college students, prevention tools and more. The office can be reached on weekdays by phone at (607) 777-3088 or by email at aodstaff@ binghamton.edu.

Campus Recovery Support Group (CRSG) fueled the mass incarceration crisis in this country.”

Established in 2021 in coordination with the UCC and the Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Office, the CRSG is a student-run support initiative that works to aid students struggling with substance abuse through recovery. The group organizes various support events such as “Coffee Talks” and game nights to facilitate connection among students struggling with drug abuse. For further inquiries, the CRSG can be reached by email at busober@ binghamton.edu. Dates and times for support events held at the group’s social space, located in the Academic B building room 211, can be found on the group’s Instagram, @busober.

Bianca Van Zile, a sophomore majoring in mathematics, agreed with Defino, and considered the legalization’s broader societal impacts.

“It’s good that they’re decriminalizing marijuana,” Van Zile said. “It’ll be interesting to see how legalizing cannabis will affect drug culture down the road. Will it decrease alcohol use or increase other drug use? Who knows.”

The Addiction Center of Broome County (ACBC)

Located off-campus at 30 West State St. in Binghamton, the ACBC has been aiding community members struggling with substance abuse for over 40 years. The team at the ACBC provides many resources, including individualized treatment planning, psychiatric care and more. Resources are also available for those interested in aiding a loved one through addiction. This includes Narcan training, suicide alertness training, family support and more. For more information or to inquire about care, the ACBC can be reached by phone Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at (607) 723-7308.

Binghamton’s New York State University Police (UPD)

In the case of an emergency, to report an incident or to inquire about lost or stolen property, students can contact UPD. The department has a group of highly trained professional officers who can aid in emergency situations, including drug-related emergencies. The UPD office is located in the basement of the Couper Administration Building, AD-G24. For emergency calls, the UPD can be reached at (607) 7772222 from a cell phone, or at 911 from a campus phone. For non-emergency reports, students can call (607) 7772393 to speak with an officer.