What Did We Learn from Our Study on Sober Living Houses and Where Do We Go from Here? PMC

Having said that, this whole area is very under-developed, with little in the way of recovery housing being commissioned , though there is evidence that this is changing a bit for the better. We are staffed around the clock with people in recovery who have the genuine concern to help. Sober homes are a business and support the livelihood Sober House of Operators around the world. The Operator pays expenses to keep the home open, and the remainder is profit. Successful Operators can build significant wealth while building a better world. Zywiak WH, Longabaugh R, Wirtz PW. Decomposing the relationships between pretreatment social network characteristics and alcohol treatment outcome.

• Specialized sober living if the applicant is of a specific or vulnerable population.
• If you or someone you know has recently quit drinking alcohol and is now sober—congratulations, quitting alcohol can be a long and difficult process.
• In the communal home, residents must pay their own way and may be required to take on more responsibility than they would in a rehab center.
• Six-month abstinence was a dichotomous yes/no regarding any use of alcohol of drugs over the past 6 months.

Other times, they function as a more intensive residential facility, meaning that there is consistent recovery programming, requirements, and staff present in the house. Something important to note is that sober living houses are not the same as halfway houses.

What Happens After Out-of-Area Rehab Is Vital

It is important to understand that these facilities are much more than a place for sober people to sleep. Addiction experts recommend that anyone in a sober living work actively to address their addiction issues.

Those who have been in the house the longest and who have more time in recovery are especially encouraged to provide support to new residents. This type of “giving back” is consistent with a principle of recovery in 12-step groups. Also like other sober-living environments, halfway houses generally have systems in place to keep residents sober, and drugs tests are usually administered to monitor for any substance use. They also often come with additional mental health, medical, recovery or educational services that help people get accustomed to their new lives.

How to Pay for Your Stay at a Sober Living House

The staff doesn’t provide any clinical or medical services, but many residents attend outpatient treatment or participate in recovery-based groups while they live there. The second phase allows for more personal autonomy and increased responsibility for one’s recovery. All residents, regardless of phase, are required to be active in 12-step recovery programs, abide by basic house rules, and abstain from alcohol and drugs.

Residents must have completed detox and rehabilitation, and they should have a plan to go to therapy or 12-step meetings at least once per week. Join the thousands of people that have called a treatment provider for rehab information.

Sober House Operators

While meeting attendance and household duties may be required, there isn’t regimented treatment programming present in the home. 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. Perhaps the most obvious benefit of sober living homes is that they ease the transition back into everyday life. They bridge the gap between treatment and mainstream society, helping a person to ease back into the buzz of the “real world” – work, school, nightlife, relationships, and more.

• Substance abuse significantly impacts users, their families, their community, and society as a whole.
• Researchers speculate that this is because treating addiction is a lifelong process, and learning to implement the tools necessary to get relief takes time.
• Compared to halfway houses, sober living homes offer residents far more control over the nature of their recovery program.
• This might include eating healthy, exercising regularly, keeping a clean home, and maintaining good personal hygiene.
• Residents are typically required to abstain from drugs and alcohol and to follow certain house rules designed to promote sobriety.
• One of the most obvious benefits of sober living – whether in a sober housing or treatment setting – is the bonds you will form while there.

From marketing to housekeeping, each position at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation provides purposeful and inspiring work with colleagues who share your commitment and drive. The Association for Addiction Professionals represents the professional interests of more than 100,000 addiction-focused health care professionals in the United States, Canada and abroad. The Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations evaluates quality of care provided by healthcare organizations. Footprints has the Gold Seal of Approval, which is the highest standard.

Primary Outcomes

We then expand on the findings by considering potential implications of SLHs for treatment and criminal justice systems. We also include a discussion of our plans to study the community context of SLHs, which will depict how stakeholder influences support and hinder their operations and potential for expansion. These measures were taken from the Important People Instrument (Zywiak, et al., 2002). The instrument allows participants to identify up to 12 important people in his or her network whom they have had contact with in the past six months. The drinking status of the social network was calculated by multiplying the amount of contact by the drinking pattern of each network member, averaged across the network.

While they are both residences designed to support folks in maintaining sobriety and transitioning back into society, there are some key differences. While a sober living house doesn’t offer individual or group counseling, it offers structure and support to help you maintain your sobriety.

These became the first sober houses in California – some of which are still operating today. In the communal home, residents must pay their own way and may be required to take on more responsibility than they would in a rehab center. For example, members must often pay for rent and hold a steady job or attend school. They must also contribute to the community by helping with chores, taking responsibility for their actions, and respecting and obeying all house rules. In our comprehensive guide, we share the truth about sober living homes, including what it is like living in a sober house and how it factors into the long-term recovery process.