Many of us soon learned, however, that living alone or living among our old drinking companions made it more difficult to practice the principles necessary for continued sobriety. Yes, the prospective residents of the House can find a suitable house, rent it, put up the security deposit and pay the first month’s rent themselves. Oxford House, Inc. will consider favorably a Charter application whether or not a loan is received from the State or some other outside source. Any recovering alcoholic or drug addict can apply to get into any Oxford House by filling out an application and being interviewed by the existing members of the House. The application is then considered by the membership of the House and if 80% of the members approve, the applicant is accepted and moves in. If an applicant does not get voted into one house they should try another house in the area.

Option 2: Sober Living Homes & Recovery Residences in New Jersey

• Every opportunity should be given to a member who needs professional help to see that he obtains it.
• Of those with substance use addictions/dependence, only about 10% even reach any type of substance abuse treatment.
• In a National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) supported study, we successfully recruited 150 individuals who completed treatment at alcohol and drug abuse facilities in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Be honest and straight-forward when sharing the Oxford House concept with others. The situation should be avoided whereby certain individuals will begin to equate their persuasive qualities with the Oxford House concept. Individuals living in each of the Oxford Houses have also been responsible for starting many new groups of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous having meetings near an Oxford House. This not only helps those individuals to become more involved in AA or NA, and thereby reap greater individual benefits, but also helps to build strong bonds between local AA and NA groups and Oxford House. The opportunity for a house to democratically function requires periodic meetings within the house — at least once a week. Such meetings should be used to resolve any operational or personality problems facing the house.

RESOURCES

When you call a house to set up an interview you can ask them how much their EES is. Q. How much sobriety or clean time is needed before an individual can be accepted into an Oxford House? Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a rehabilitation program, incarceration, or at least a detoxification program. Drug addiction is the excessive and repetitive use of substances, despite harmful consequences to a person’s life, health, and relationships.

How do transitional housing facilities ensure safety and compliance with house rules?

One of the largest examples of a community-based, mutual-help residential community for high risk substance abuse individuals is Oxford House. In the U.S., over 9,800 people live in these self-run dwellings where they obtain jobs, pay utility bills, and learn to be responsible citizens. Beginning with one single rented residence in the mid 1970s, Oxford Houses now number over 1,300. These rented homes are helping to deal with drug addiction and community re-entry by providing stable housing without any limits on length of stay, a network of job opportunities, and support for abstinence.

Find manuals, forms, and other resources from Oxford House.

Sometimes it refers to a transitional home for people who have just been released from jail or prison and are not yet able to live on their own. Family members play important roles in supporting long-term recovery, though relationships often need healing after years affected by substance abuse. Many treatment centers offer family programming to help loved ones understand addiction as a medical condition and learn healthy communication patterns. A recovering individual can live in an Oxford House for as long as he or she does not drink alcohol, does not use illicit drugs, and pays an equal share of the house expenses. The average stay is a little over a year, but many residents stay three, four, or more years.

Both NIDA and NIAAA have health services research study sections that are willing to review these types of applications. It is hoped that more researchers will consider developing grant proposals in this area, particularly as research focusing on the solution of applied problems is becoming a larger priority area for the federal government. With adequate funding, large clinical trials can emerge and adequate personnel can be employed for the arduous task of tracking over time these at-risk samples. We also designed a study to assess the types of contributions that Oxford House residents report making to their neighborhoods and communities. Jason, Schober oxford house and Olson (2008) found that Oxford House members reported participating in the community for about 10.6 hours per month.

• An Oxford House member can stay as long as they like, provided they stay drug and alcohol free, are not disruptive, and pay their share of house expenses.
• In most communities, the members of those organizations help Oxford Houses get started and report any charger compliance problems with respect to a particular house.
• The concept and the standardized, democratic, self-supported Oxford House system of operations itself are far more persuasive than any individual.
• Understanding your aftercare and sober living options is essential for building a strong foundation in early recovery.
• When we stopped drinking, we began to realize that in order to stay stopped, our lives would need to change.

Contact treatment providers and recovery residences directly to discuss payment options and potential financial assistance. Relapse policies are strict in most transitional housing environments, particularly in sober living homes and halfway houses. Typically, relapse leads to eviction because these homes must ensure a safe, drug-free environment for all residents. However, the facility may provide assistance in finding appropriate treatment options or alternative housing. This type of housing residence provides a supportive, structured environment where individuals recovering from substance use disorders can continue to heal while reintegrating into everyday life. Of course, no one particular type of treatment setting is appropriate for all individuals.

Each individual recovers from alcoholism or drug addiction at a different pace. All too often, an abrupt transition from a protected environment to an environment which places considerable glamour on the use of alcohol and drugs causes a return to alcoholic drinking or addictive drug use. We currently have received NIH support to begin researching individuals leaving jail and prison with substance abuse problems. This line of research could be expanded to other levels or target groups, such as men and women with substance abuse returning from foreign wars in Iraqi and Afghanistan. Reports of post-traumatic illnesses and substance abuse among returning veterans suggests that cost effective programs like Oxford House need closer federal attention.