Why Trust Recovery Guide DetoxRehabs.net is holding a $3,500 college scholarship essay contest.
This scholarship helps us achieve two goals: helping college students reach their educational goals and giving back to our recovery community.
Scholarship Award Details
The DetoxRehabs.net scholarship will award two placements with separate scholarship funds:
- 1st Place: $2,500
- Runner-up: $1,000
Scholarship Eligibility Submission Requirements
To participate in the scholarship contest, you must meet certain eligibility criteria, including:
- Be a student pursuing a college or university degree (Associate’s, Bachelor, Master, Doctorate) or a trade certification in a technical college
- Be enrolled full-time at a post-secondary institution
- Be 18 years or older at the time of entry
Essay Contest Background
The link between substance abuse and mental health is well-established. In fact, substance abuse can have profound effects on mental health and vice versa.
A survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in 2025 showed that:
- 23.4% of adults (61 million) had Any Mental Illness (AMI), and 5.6% (14.6 million) had a Serious Mental Illness (SMI)
- 33.0% of adults aged 18 or older (86 million) experienced either AMI or a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in the past year
- 52.1% of those with AMI (32 million) and 70.8% of those with SMI (10.3 million) received mental health treatment in the past year
For these reasons and many more, it’s important to raise awareness about the strong connection between substance use and mental health, the challenges college students may face as a result, and the support systems that can help them overcome these struggles.
Essay Submission Topic
The Link Between Mental Health And Substance Use In College Students
Instructions:
Research mental health facts and substance use rates in college students.
Calling on your own personal experience as well as research, discuss:
- the link between mental health and substance abuse in college students
- what we can do to help college students manage stress levels, mental health, and substance use both at home and on campus
Suggest actual ways to implement help and resources for college students to aid them in managing both mental health and substance abuse.
Be as specific as possible with your ideas for change. Ensure you are both creative and detail-oriented.
Essay Submission Guidelines
When submitting your essay, please adhere to the following guidelines:
- Essay is your own original work
- Essay is no longer than 1,200 words
Judgment Guidelines
We will consider submissions and choose a winning essay and runner-up based on the following:
- original content quality
- degree of originality
- completeness
- relevancy to the topic
Essay Submission Deadline:
Monday, June 1, 2026
Scholarship Award Announcement:
Monday, June 16, 2026
Award Funding Details
Scholarships will be awarded for the Fall 2026 semester.
Scholarships will be awarded directly to the university through the financial aid department (or according to university scholarship guidelines) to be distributed to the winning student.
How To Enter The DetoxRehabs.net Scholarship Essay Contest
To submit an essay for review in our scholarship contest, follow these steps:
- Ensure you meet all eligibility requirements
- Craft an original essay
- Submit your essay via email to scholarship@detoxrehabs.net with “Scholarship Essay Submission” as the subject
- Include within your email your name, age, university/college institution, and preferred email
Winners will be notified by email—check back on June 16, 2026
Winning essays will be featured on our website at DetoxRehabs.net.