Since 2021, the McNabb Center has operated the Elevate Recovery School in partnership with Knox County Schools, providing a specialized academic and treatment environment for high school students recovering from substance use disorder. Elevate combines academic instruction with on-site behavioral health services, including therapy, intensive outpatient group treatment, and recovery supports. It is currently the only recovery high school model of its kind in Tennessee.

Demand for the program continues to grow. The McNabb Center is currently constructing a new 13,000-square-foot facility that will expand enrollment capacity from 20 to 60 students at a time, enabling service to up to 200 students annually across the recovery continuum. While this expansion increases access, it also highlights a critical gap: ensuring graduates have clear, structured pathways into employment, skilled trades, post-secondary education, or credentialing programs.

Elevate students often face significant behavioral health and socioeconomic challenges and frequently lack the support systems that guide successful transitions into adulthood. Unlike traditional high schools, recovery programs rarely have dedicated staff focused on post-graduation planning.

With support from the Trinity Health Foundation, the McNabb Center will conduct a Phase I research and planning initiative to identify best practices for post-secondary transition support in recovery high schools and similar programs nationwide. This effort will assess the feasibility of a dedicated transition coordinator role to guide students toward educational and workforce opportunities, and inform a sustainable model to support long-term success as Elevate expands.