The significant grant will be used to enhance recovery supports and expand enrollment initiatives for Indiana’s only recovery high school.
Hope Academy, Indiana’s only recovery high school, has received a grant in the amount of $50,000 from Healthcare Initiatives, Inc. This grant, which will be used during the 2021-2022 school year, will be instrumental in providing additional resources to grow the recovery coaching program at Hope Academy as well as boost enrollment initiatives designed to reach families with teens impacted by substance abuse and addiction in underserved communities.
“We are grateful for the partnership and financial support of Healthcare Initiatives, Inc.,” said Hope Academy Executive Director Rachelle Gardner. “As we enter our second full school year at our new location, it is more critical than ever that we continue to educate surrounding communities about the one-of-a-kind academic and recovery resources offered at Hope Academy.”
Hope Academy is a mayor-sponsored, tuition-free high school and offers the same academic curriculum as other public high schools across the state, but unlike other high schools, the standard curriculum is supplemented by recovery programming. The recovery team, comprised of trained recovery coaches and individuals with lived experiences, prepares students with practical tools and resources to help them identify relapse triggers, develop healthy coping skills and maintain long-term sobriety.
“Statistics show the need is greater than ever for high-quality substance use disorder programs and services for teens, and funding like this grant from Healthcare Initiatives, allows us to reach more families and teens who need us,” said Gardner.
New data from the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics reveals the following findings regarding youth drug abuse in the United States:
- 1-in-8 teenagers abused an illicit substance in the last year.
- Drug use among 8th graders increased 61% between 2016 and 2020.
- By 12th grade, 62% of teenagers have abused alcohol.
- 50% of teenagers have misused a drug at least once.
- 43% of college students use illicit drugs.
- 86% of teenagers know someone who smokes, drinks or uses drugs during the school day.
There are 45 recovery high schools in the United States, with two more expected to open in 2022, yet Hope Academy is the only one of these schools in Indiana. Hope Academy enrolls approximately 50 students annually, with a goal to increase enrollment to 75 students by the 2027 academic year.
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About Hope Academy: Hope Academy is a tuition-free, public charter high school in Indianapolis for teens in recovery from substance use disorders. The mission of Hope Academy is to provide a safe, sober and challenging academic experience. Learn more at hopeacademyrhs.org.
About Healthcare Initiatives, Inc.: Healthcare Initiatives, Inc. is a private granting foundation based in Indianapolis that exists to support the advancement of human health and well-being through grants and donations to qualified nonprofit organizations.
Media Contact: Ty Spisak, Hope Academy Communications Consultant
317.517.8867 | tspisak@hopeacademyrhs.org