New Jersey's First Public High School For Students With Substance Abuse Problems Opens

UNION, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- New Jersey's first public high school for students with drug and alcohol problems is open.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place Tuesday in Union.

"This is a great moment for New Jersey and the first of its kind," said State Sen. Ray Lesniak, who worked with an advocacy group to create the school.

Lesniak said the idea was to create an environment where education and recovery go hand in hand.

Students with substance abuse problems will receive help and support to stay in recovery without peer pressure to drink or use drugs.

"Children who have substance abuse problems when they go back to their schools after any rehab they get peer pressured to start using again," Lesniak told 1010 WINS. "The recovery school will provide, instead of peer pressure, peer support. Children will support each other."

Lesniak said these types of schools have a proven track record of success.

"These schools that are open in other states, instead of 80 percent of these children dropping out, 80 percent of them graduate and are sober," Lesniak said.

Lesniak said he became involved with the project following a recent incident in his life.

"I was robbed four years ago in the middle of the night by two young men who had substance abuse problems and I wound up testifying on their behalf to get them treatment instead of going to prison," Lesniak said. "That got me started on being an advocate for dealing with this problem."

The school is on the campus of Kean University.

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