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University Counseling Center

Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Services

*Visit the Appointments page to access the UCC’s AOD services.*

University students may be exposed and have access to substances such as alcohol or other drugs (AOD) on any college campus. Vanderbilt has policies in place to discourage the underage or problematic use of alcohol or other drugs as defined in the Student Handbook.

If a student is concerned about their level of substance use or would like to have assistance in reducing their usage, the UCC (University Counseling Center) offers therapeutic support and psychoeducation to students. We work in close partnership with the Center for Student Wellbeing, which provides alcohol education and assessment, the Office of Student Accountability, which refers students who violate campus policies regarding use of alcohol and other substances, and with Vanderbilt Recovery Support (VRS), which provides support groups and housing for those in recovery from AOD Use Disorders.​

AOD Services:

  • Screening: All students are highly encouraged to take the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test (AUDIT) upon initial intake assessment. This assessment helps identify students’ level of risk for AOD concerns.
  • Individual Therapy: All students can be referred to meet with UCC providers to identify and discuss concerns surrounding alcohol and substance use and how to overcome challenges with usage.
  • Group Therapy: All students can be referred to specialized AOD workshops to obtain information about alcohol and substance use. Using the pathway of harm reduction, this goal-oriented, solution-focused workshop provides psychoeducation to help students achieve milestones towards a healthier relationship with alcohol and other substances.
  • Medication Management: All students can meet with our qualified medical team to assess co-occurring concerns using evidence-based treatment practices for alcohol and substance use disorders.
  • Referrals: All students can be referred to on-campus and outside resources with the assistance of the UCC AOD counselor and case manager to provide additional support for AOD concerns.

Our objective is to help students achieve their own goals to have a healthy and sustainable relationship with alcohol and other drugs. These goals can be accomplished through various avenues, ranging from abstinence and recovery, to modifying habits and behaviors through a harm reduction model. Students may collaborate with the AOD provider to identify their individual treatment goals. Additionally, AOD use often co-exists with other mental health concerns. Addressing co-occurring concerns often leads to sustainable improvement and progress towards treatment goals.

On-campus:

In the Community:

National Resources:

 

This page was last updated July 2023