The Donovan ‘59 Program for Recovery and Substance-Free Student Initiatives celebrates the differences of people who participate along the intersectional axes of race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, dis/ability, religion, and other identities.

Recovery is not a one-size fits all solution. People with substance use disorders get well through many different avenues. The Donovan Program for Recovery and Substance-Free Initiatives supports all pathways to recovery, acknowledging that some pathways are not supportive for people with all identities, backgrounds, and experiences. We build community by holding the differences in our stories as strengths and finding connections by exploring new ideas together.

The recovery resources at Brown may not encompass everything you need to become your best self. Our hope is to empower you to make the best decisions about your own recovery by referring you a range of resources on- and off-campus, based on your desired recovery outcomes. We are not a treatment center nor a holistic health center. However, we understand that, to succeed academically at Brown, your whole self must be engaged. 

While at Brown we put recovery and substance-free initiatives under a large umbrella, we recognize that there is a venn diagram among groups. Some people who are in recovery are substance-free; some are not. Some people who are substance-free are in recovery; others are not. We celebrate all people who identify as being a person in recovery or a person who is substance-free for whatever reason while acknowledging the different needs of people who have substance use disorder and those who do not.