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"We applaud this important first step in making educational financial aid available to all Americans. It will increase opportunities for thousands of people, many of whom are in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs," said Merlyn Karst, chair of Faces & Voices of Recovery. "Most Americans supported changing the law and viewed the ban on student aid as discriminatory against people who want a chance to make a positive change in their lives."

Under the new law, people can receive aid unless they are convicted of a drug felony or misdemeanor while in school.

Students convicted while receiving federal aid will remain ineligible - for one year for a first possession offense, two years for a second and indefinitely for a third, with harsher penalties for selling. Repeal of the ban on federal financial aid to students with drug convictions is one element of Faces & Voices of Recovery's Right to Addiction Recovery platform.

Faces & Voices of Recovery is releasing a flyer, "Exercise Your Rights." It will be distributed through recovery community organizations around the country. It informs likely students of their restored right to federal financial aid to attend community college, technical school and college. Faces & Voices of Recovery is working to mobilize, organize and rally the families, friends and allies of the millions of Americans in recovery from addiction in a campaign to: end discrimination; broaden social understanding; and achieve a just response to addiction as

a public health crisis. For more information, please visit: www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org
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From the Faces and Voices website:

How the New Law Will Work

The new law goes into effect on July 1, 2006. People will be able to receive aid unless they are convicted of a drug felony or misdemeanor while in school. Students convicted while receiving federal aid will remain ineligible - for one year for a first possession offense, two years for a second and indefinitely for a third, with harsher penalties for sales.

People can participate in treatment programs in order to qualify for their aid to be restored. However accessing treatment services can be extremely difficult. The federal government's Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the Institute of Medicine have estimated that only 20% of the individuals who need drug and alcohol treatment in any given year receive care.

The US Department of Education, which oversees the new law, will be deciding how it will be implemented over the next few months. In the meantime, if you have a prior drug conviction or know of someone who has one and is thinking about going back to school, talk with a financial aid counselor at the school you would like to attend about filling out the FAFSA financial aid form.

Faces & Voices will continue to work for full repeal. Under the law, students convicted while receiving federal aid will still lose their eligibility - for one year for a first possession offense, two years for a second and indefinitely for a third, with harsher penalties for selling. We will also continue to work to remove the drug conviction question from the financial aid form.

http://www.jointogether.org/news/yourturn/announcements/2006/aid-to-students-with-drug... 2/15/2006

Join Together publishes selected press releases and other announcements relevant to alcohol and drug policy, prevention and treatment.