Rarely can you see the impact of investing in youth so profoundly as at the graduation celebration of a recovery high school like Harmony Academy in Lake Oswego.

There, teenagers not only glow with typical excitement for the future but with a deep gratitude for the love and support that helped them move beyond addiction and into recovery. Parents also beam with hope and a sense of relief knowing a healthy future is possible again. And educators swell with the satisfaction of seeing up close the great purpose in their work.

Such scenes illustrate the incredible impact of investing in recovery high schools, and why Oregon lawmakers should pass House Bill 2767, which received a public hearing before the House Education Committee on Wednesday, March 22.

The legislation will create a long-term, sustainable funding and governance model for recovery high schools in Oregon — empowering Harmony Academy to continue its life-saving work and enabling other recovery schools to be opened. Currently, Harmony Academy — established in 2019 — is the first and only recovery school in the state. It is near capacity, serving 34 students, and has been a big success, with many graduates now thriving in trades or other jobs, in college, in their families and in their communities.

Recovery high schools provide a safe, supportive education for youth in recovery from substance use disorder and other co-occurring mental health conditions. Students at Harmony Academy and other accredited recovery schools across the nation are almost twice as likely as their peers to remain sober within six months of enrollment.

In our respective professional roles, we witness incredible healing and transformation. We also know how challenging it can be for young people to sustain change and, therefore, how important it is for them to stay connected to healthy, supportive environments in the initial weeks, months and years after their recovery begins. Recovery high schools empower young people to stay on a positive trajectory that can pay societal dividends for decades to come.

House Bill 2767 has been thoughtfully crafted with input from experts across Oregon and direction from the 2022 Legislature, which provided $1 million to support recovery schools and develop recommendations to ensure that all students who need a recovery-focused education can access one. The bill will allow recovery schools to become state-designated educational entities, with access to existing funds in the Statewide Education Initiatives Account (established by the historic 2019 Student Success Act) and in collaboration with other agencies. This framework will ensure each new recovery school operates in accordance with national best practices, that there is no unnecessary duplication of services, and that recovery schools do not compete with the state’s traditional schools for funding.

Here and nationally, we find ourselves in the midst a historic substance use and mental health crisis. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Oregon has one of the highest addiction rates in the nation, with nearly one in five teens and adults reporting a problem with alcohol or other drugs. A recent analysis from Oregon Health & Science University showed that Oregon’s addiction care system is roughly half the size it should be to meet demand. Meanwhile, the U.S. Surgeon General, who in 2021 issued a rare national advisory about the well-being of America’s youth, continues to emphasize the urgent need to also protect youth mental health.

House Bill 2767 is the right solution at the right time — a cost-effective, proven way to invest in young people and Oregon’s future.