What to Look for When Choosing a Sober Living Home or Halfway House

Sober living homes are more than just a place to stay; they’re communities aimed at fostering healing and growth. Here, you’re surrounded by individuals who understand the challenges of addiction sober house roxbury ma recovery firsthand. This peer support system encourages open dialogue, sharing of experiences, and mutual encouragement, creating a network of support that’s invaluable during recovery.

Red Flag: Employs Untrained or Uncertified Staff

Choosing a residence can be a tough decision because there are many different residences available. You can consult with a treatment professional, your insurance company, or use word-of-mouth to see what sober living homes are recommended. I have watched sober and sober sponsors alike relapse, and I feel that there was no failsafe to catch them.

Common House Rules of Sober Living Homes

Understanding and adhering to these rules and structures are foundational to the success experienced in these homes. They not only keep the environment safe for everyone but also teach valuable life skills that are essential in your journey towards a fulfilling, sober life. Job placement programs and educational opportunities are also available to help residents reintegrate into society as productive, sober individuals. This holistic approach to recovery ensures that you’re not just sober, but also prepared to tackle the challenges of everyday life after addiction. A Level II recovery residence assigns a house manager or senior resident to oversee the workings of the house and has at least one paid staff member.

How Long Can You Stay in a Sober-Living House?

We’re going to ensure that everybody, including the township, complies with applicable law,” he said. “I don’t wish to expose my children to that constant flow of unknown people in our neighborhood. I do find comfort and safety in knowing that my neighbors should be registered to a home. I am not comfortable not knowing who is coming and going in this home, at such a high rate,” she said. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available.

Get Help For Addiction

Whether you’re newly sober or looking to strengthen your commitment to sobriety, understanding the role of sober living homes is a vital step in your journey. Sober living houses are often recommended for folks finishing up a drug rehabilitation program.Leaving the structure of a treatment program can be jarring, sometimes triggering a relapse. As such, sober living houses serve as a space to transition into a life without addiction, developing tools and community while getting used to the demands of daily life. Many sober living homes are not government-funded and are self-supporting or operated by charities or addiction treatment centers. Some recovery houses accept donations of clothing, household goods, and other items for use by residents or to sell to make money to offset the facility’s costs.

As a result, the cost of Level 3 homes often includes the expense of paying counselors and administrative staff, in addition to the shared expenses of living in the home. The Oxford House model uses a democratically run governance system, along with rules requiring abstinence and participation in recovery activities (such as AA or NA), among others. The model was meant to be more affordable, as all the residents share the cost of the rent and utilities and pay a very small fee to maintain membership in the Oxford House network. If you are not court-ordered or mandated to be in the residence, then you may leave the sober living home at any time. If you are paying to live at the residence and you leave before the contract ends, you may still be financially responsible for the length of time you agreed to stay.

• Adding on to previous Levels’ services, Level III includes an emphasis on life skill development, offsite clinical services and in-house service hours.
• Living in this type of home can aid sobriety and make it more likely that recovering addicts will remain in recovery for the long term.
• Some residences are free to the residents because they are government-funded or run by nonprofit organizations.
• NARR is the largest recovery housing organization in the U.S., operating in 26 states.
• As the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) states, peer support programs during and following treatment can help maintain abstinence.

Sober Living Homes & Oxford Houses

In other homes, counselors or case managers visit on a regular basis to provide in-home services. Former residents and treatment alumni may visit regularly to provide additional guidance and support. Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer individual medical advice, diagnosis or treatment plans. Smith and Clark recommend seeking out an SLH after completing clinical treatment to best practice the skills learned in the program alongside others in recovery. Ethical behavior is vital when it comes to running an SLH or halfway house.