A Clean and Sober Place to Live: Philosophy, Structure, and Purported Therapeutic Factors in Sober Living Houses PMC

Each state has its own governing agency for the purpose of licensure and the rules may vary. Additionally, each city and county may have its own unique list of requirements in terms of licensure, permits and clearances.

If so, a sober home can do the same, provided they follow the same health and safety laws which would apply to the family of fourteen. Despite the enormous need for housing among the offender population, SLHs have been largely overlooked as a housing option for them (Polcin, 2006c). This is particularly concerning because our analysis of criminal justice offenders in SLHs showed alcohol and drug outcomes that were similar to residents who entered the houses voluntarily. CSLT is located in Sacramento County California and consists of 16 houses with a 136 bed capacity. Phase I lasts 30 to 90 days and is designed to provide some limits and structure for new residents.

Questions about treatment options?

Living in a sober house can
give these people the time and safety to take care of legal or social service
issues and find a job and a permanent place to live. It’s also important to note that sober living homes and halfway houses are not the same. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, halfway houses are typically government-funded and have limitations on how long a resident can live there. Comparatively, sober living residents can stay as long as needed, provided that they adhere to the household rules and expectations, pay rent, and cover their personal expenses. Despite the high prevalence of psychiatric severity, relatively few residents engaged in psychiatric services. Only 12% reported attending outpatient psychotherapy sessions and only 30% reported receiving psychiatric medications between baseline and 6-month follow up.

• Before purchasing a property, you should always thoroughly inspect local and state laws to prevent problems down the road.
• At that time, I was providing low-income housing through government Section 8 programs, which provide subsidies for those of low income due to various reasons, including disability.
• This law
  also prohibits a county from issuing a permit to operate a sober house without
  first holding a public hearing in the affected community, but we found no
  statutory requirement for such a permit (HI Stat. § 46-4).
• When you consider opening up any kind of residential home, you have to research zoning laws in your area.
• Ethos Structured Sober Living is an all male community in recovery located in the heart of West Los Angeles.
• As you research local licensing, regulations, and zoning, be aware of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
• There are 10 phase II houses and 65 beds, 61 of which have private rooms.

The paper ends with presentation of baseline data describing the residents who enter SLH’s and 6-month outcomes on 130 residents. It’s easy to confuse sober living houses with rehab centers or halfway houses, but there are some stark differences among them. Rehab centers offer intensive recovery programs that help residents overcome addictions by following strict rules and regulations.

Recovery Housing

Hawaii is the only state we found with a law addressing sober
houses. Its zoning enabling statute specifies that sober houses must be
considered residential uses and, consequently, be a permitted or conditional
use in residential zones, including those limited to single-family use. But
they must meet all applicable county and state laws, codes, and rules. This law
also prohibits a county from issuing a permit to operate a sober house without
first holding a public hearing in the affected community, but we found no
statutory requirement for such a permit (HI Stat. § 46-4). Sober houses are residential facilities that provide a
structured living situation for people who are in recovery from a substance
abuse disorder. Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery, an advocacy
group, estimates there are about 160 sober houses in Connecticut.

When a halfway house for substance abusers in Montgomery County Maryland closed, the clients continued their residence by paying rent and utilities themselves and implementing a shared, democratic style of managing the house. The residents were apparently satisfied with this new arrangement and the model rapidly expanded. While they are common in other parts of the country, they are rare in California, where other types of SLH’s existed before Oxford Houses became widespread.

Everything you need to know to open a sober living home

As a chronic disease, addiction can be difficult to treat, but it’s certainly not hopeless. Sober living homes and peer recovery support services are excellent and effective weapons against relapse and they can help people sustain long-term sobriety, sober house despite the challenges. Our mission and our passion is to provide ideal environments in which recovery can happen and thrive. An important exception to the decline of SLH’s during the 1970’s was the development of Oxford Houses (O’Neill, 1990).

State agencies and vendors receiving state or federal funds to provide prevention, intervention, treatment, or recovery support services can only refer clients to recovery houses listed on the registry. Think of sober living as your support net as you practice new skills, gain new insight and shape your new life in recovery with other people who are possibly facing the same challenges. Sober-living homes provide a strong support network and community to help you safely navigate the tough spots and triggers you may encounter. Whether you are opening your first sober living or expanding your offerings with additional sober houses, it can be a struggle to find a property that’s a good fit if you are renting. Here are a few things to consider when searching for a house to rent in order to open a sober home. Addiction treatment programs are still very much regulated by the state.

Improving Outcomes for Criminal Justice Referred Residents

The number of residents depends on the size of the home or licensed beds in a facility. In most sober-living environments, bedrooms are shared, but some do provide individual rooms. Typically, there are rules about shared living spaces and individual room maintenance and chores, visitor hours, meal times, curfews and Twelve Step meeting requirements. The Minnesota proposals (HF 2493 (2008) and SF 2323 (2007))
seemed to be aimed at protecting the rights of sober house residents.

• Halfway houses and other treatment organizations offer clinical care.
• I’ve had people come up to me crying and saying that my son or I have saved their life, their child’s life, or their spouse’s life—and it’s very hard to put a price on that.
• Are you an existing operator with questions on how to navigate this tricky legal landscape?
• Another challenge for us is the enabler in the addict’s life—usually a parent or spouse—who inhibits the resident’s recovery.