Queen’s is part of a local collaboration that is offering a new eight-week psycho-education program for students experiencing issues related to substance use, misuse, or abuse.

The online program is open to all students from Queen’s University and St. Lawrence College, and students can register for the entire eight weeks or pick any individual session(s) they would like to join.

“Emerging research is indicating that Canadians have increased their alcohol consumption since the beginning of the pandemic,” says Kate Humphrys, Health Promotion Coordinator, Student Wellness Services at Queen’s. “Expanding our services to offer a substance use wellness group is an important part of supporting overall student wellness, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The fall program started in mid-October, and runs until Dec. 2, led by staff from St. Lawrence College’s Wellness Team, and Addiction and Mental Health Services - Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington (AMHS-KFLA). The program will be running again in the winter term, facilitated by Queen’s Student Wellness Services and AMHS-KFLA.

“Each session will focus on a particular topic related to substance use and addictions and will include non-judgmental information sharing, discussion among participants, and resources and worksheets that students can keep, all of which is being facilitated within a harm-reduction framework,” says Mike Young, former Queen’s Rector, who is Executive Director of the Empathy Institute, and external consultant for AMHS-KFLA to facilitate this partnership project.

The ultimate goal is to offer students relevant, student-centred support, including a way to learn from other students who are facing similar challenges.

For more program information, visit the Student Wellness Services Calendar. Students can register for one or more sessions here.

For more information on services and programs at AMHS-KFLA, visit their website.