Carlbrook School Joins the Association of Recovery Schools Carlbrook School, a nationally renowned boarding school for struggling

adolescen ts in Southern Virginia, is excited to announce that it has been accepted as an Institutional Member to The Association of Recovery Schools (ARS). The mission o f ARS is to promote, strengthen and expand programs designed for students and fa milies committed to both education and recovery. Members of ARS must fit specifi c eligibility requirements that support a recovery curriculum and enroll student s committed to being abstinent from alcohol and other drugs. Halifax , VA, February 29, 2012 -- Increasing the accessibility of recovery comm unities among college campuses has been of growing interest in the last decade, based largely on Texas Tech University s initiative to assist schools with developin g and implementing programs across the country. During the summer of 2011, the A ssociation for Recovery in Higher Education was formed, with membership from twe nty major colleges and universities, in an effort to further the cause of establ ishing recovery programs for students seeking support during their collegiate ca reers. Recognizing the importance of such initiatives, recovery orientated progr ams have now been adopted on college campuses across the country, most recently at Penn State University and the University of Michigan. In an effort to further the presence of recovery support among secondary schools , Carlbrook is proud to join ARS, which is comprised of a select number of highl y regarded academic institutions sharing in the commitment to support students i n recovery, including Case Western Reserve University, Rutgers University, Unive rsity of Texas at Austin, University of Virginia and University of Vermont. To s ee the full list of Institutions affiliated with ARS, go to: http://www.recovery schools.org/schools.html. Over the last six years, the Recovery Services Program at Carlbrook School has e stablished a robust curriculum to support its students and families in recovery. All students enrolled at Carlbrook, irrespective of having a history of substan ce use, are required to participate in the general recovery services programming at the school with additional components available for students actively workin g in the recovery process. In accordance with the eligibility criteria of The Association of Recovery Schoo ls, Carlbrook offers the following recovery programming for its students and fam ilies: * A mandatory academic course focused on educating students about the physiologi cal impact of drug and alcohol use on brain development and overall health. All students are scheduled to take this course within the first four terms of their enrollment at Carlbrook. * A series of psychotherapeutic groups, which utilize Rational Behavioral Traini ng and Motivational Enhancement Therapy to address students concerns related to sub stance use. The interpersonal group model provides a venue for students to openl y discuss their ambivalence, learn practical techniques to minimize risks and in crease skills for building healthy relationships and support systems. In particu lar, motivation-focused interventions are used to prepare students for the chall enges that they may face when leaving Carlbrook, helping them to make conscious choices that emphasize a delay of use. * Carlbrook sponsors the Family Brain Defense conference, which focuses on assis ting families with continuing to establish a supportive recovery environment in their next school by utilizing the latest clinical research and brain science on adolescent development. The primary aim is to address the underlying issues rel ated to substance abuse, prepare for the future and maximize the likelihood of s uccess after graduation from Carlbrook School.

* For students actively working their recovery, 12-Step fellowship meetings are offered on the Carlbrook campus throughout the week, with both open and closed m eetings available. In addition, a young people s meeting is held each Sunday by memb ers of a local recovery group, which provides additional opportunity for sponsor ship, step-work and book work. The interaction with members of the community als o increases the amount of exposure students have to individuals living in recove ry outside of a treatment program or rehab facility, an important aspect of the process. * The Department of Transition Services at Carlbrook School is a program designe d to offer comprehensive support to all students and families for a minimum of o ne year following graduation. All students work directly with a Transition Couns elor prior to graduating in order to establish a detailed plan for maintaining s obriety and achieving continued success outside of the school. Further, students and families remain in regular contact with these counselors for the entirety o f their transition year to ensure a healthy adjustment into their next school en vironment. It is with great pride that Carlbrook joins in the mission of The Association of Recovery Schools to provide support to students choosing to live in recovery wh ile pursuing their education. Consistent with the vision of ARS, Carlbrook Schoo l will continue to enhance its programming to ensure students have access to a r ecovery community throughout their academic career. Contact: Anna Gerard The Carlbrook School, LLC PO Box 755 Halifax , VA 24558 434-470-0340 annagerard@carlbrook.org http://www.carlbrook.org