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Senator Alberta Darling
Madison – Wisconsin continues to lead in the nationwide battle against opioid abuse.  On Monday, Governor Scott Walker signed 11 bills co-authored by Senator Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) to fight the epidemic.
One of those bills will create a high school for students dealing with substance abuse.  Senator Darling says the school will give recovering students a chance to succeed.
“We see kids struggling with addiction successfully complete treatment programs but soon relapse once they return to their previous school,” Darling said, “Many times, this is due to the fact that they fall into similar routines that led to their drug addiction.”
Currently, Wisconsin has one private high school in Madison which serves teenagers recovering from addiction.  The new law creates a public school option for addicted students similar to schools in Indiana and Minnesota.  The recovery school will be operated under the University of Wisconsin System.  Darling says the high school will help provide a safe and supportive environment for students to continue to fight their addiction.
“A recovery high school will provide support for students who struggle with addiction, including counseling and therapy services while creating a place where they can work toward a high school diploma,” Darling said, “Evidence shows that attending a recovery high school keeps students on the path for a substance-free future and prepares them for a career at the same time.”
Senator Darling represents portions of Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha Counties.
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