How Do Sober Living Homes Work?

Relative to the other housing programs, this model was inexpensive and the houses were conveniently located near the outpatient facility. Typically, residents entered these SLHs after establishing some period of sobriety while they resided in a nearby shelter and attended the outpatient program. A significant strength of the Options houses was that residents were able to maintain low alcohol and drug severity at 12-month follow up.

If they think you might be a good fit, they’ll likely ask you some of their own. You might be placed on a waitlist, as these tend to be in fairly high demand. Our team is here to help you decide if this is the right choice for you or your loved one.

What are The Benefits of Sober Living Homes?

This way you will have a plan of action for what to do during these times and have healthy ways to manage triggers in your daily life. Consider asking folks at a recovery meeting or touching base with any sober friends you may have. If you recently completed a treatment program, contact the staff there for referrals to local sober living homes.

As such, sober living associations now make finding a residence easier. There are also plenty of independent sober living houses that have not changed their protocols much since the late 1940s when these residences came to be. Read on to learn about what a sober living house is, the history of sober living homes, types, who should go to one, and how you can find a sober sober house living house. Often the structure and routine of treatment programs help keep folks sober, and risking the loss of that when completing the program can be a threat to your recovery. If you or a loved one is ready to overcome an alcohol addiction, reach out today. Treatment providers can connect you with programs that provide the tools to help you get and stay sober.

The Challenges of Sober Living Houses

Improvements were noted in alcohol and drug use, arrests, psychiatric symptoms and employment. Although criminal justice referred residents had alcohol and drug use outcomes that were similar to other residents, they had a harder time finding and keeping work and had higher rearrest rates. Areas for further research include testing innovative interventions to improve criminal justice outcomes, such as Motivational Interviewing Case Management (MICM) and examining the community context of SLHs. Recognizing stakeholder views that hinder and support SLHs will be essential if they are to expand to better meet the housing needs of persons suffering from alcohol and drug disorders.

Despite the advantages of halfway houses, there are limitations as well (Polcin & Henderson, 2008). First, there is typically a limit on how long residents can stay. After some period of time, usually several months, residents are required to move out whether or not they feel ready for independent living. A second issue is financing the houses, which often includes government funding.

Is a sober house right for me?

Halfway houses are similar to sober living homes, but halfway houses are generally more strict. Residents of halfway houses are typically required to be enrolled or have participated in substance abuse treatment services. Sober living houses are a potential living arrangement for individuals in early recovery after addiction treatment.

• Your health and wellness is unique to you, and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances.
• Living in a sober house can support sobriety and help alcoholics and recovering addicts adjust to new freedoms after a treatment program without the temptations of an unhealthy environment.
• Although halfway houses share a lot in common with sober-living homes, there are a few key differences that set them apart.
• Sober living homes provide specific care that may not be provided in halfway homes, such as 12-Step group meetings, respecting the rules of the house, and maintaining a drug-free environment.
• Without structure, it can be easy to slip back into old habits that are destructive to your sobriety.
• If you’ve been thinking about entering treatment or have a loved one that would benefit from inpatient treatment, Recovery Centers of America is here for you, 24/7.

Inpatient treatment includes various levels of care, including detox, activities, support groups, and counseling; however, patients may need support once they complete treatment. Challenges that stem from post-rehab treatment like drug-free living and unstable housing can create more difficulty for individuals. Furthermore, unstable housing could promote stress and feelings of isolation. Sober living homes are the next step one can take to be integrated into having responsibilities and organized schedules before going back to everyday life. An inpatient treatment center requires 30 days where the recovering addict will check-in and stay at the facility for ongoing therapy and treatment.

Graduate School of Addiction Studies

An individual may stay at an SLH as long as they desire, although the National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends first spending no fewer than 90 days in an addiction treatment program for best effectiveness. Most of recovery homes are privately owned or owned by treatment organizations. Sober house operators are often in recovery themselves, and nearly all sober houses are run by House Managers. Houses are often for-profit organizations, but some are non-profit. While there isn’t an exact length of time that everyone should stay in one of these programs, you definitely shouldn’t leave before you’re ready. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 90 days of treatment is a fair general starting point for people beginning a recovery journey, regardless of treatment type.

Beyond these core needs, triggers in your local environment may increase the chances of relapse. For this and other reasons, you may want to browse out-of-state sober living programs. Halfway house residents must complete or have active enrollment in rehabilitation. Also, applicants with a criminal record will be denied at many of these homes. Once accepted, residents are usually limited to a maximum stay of 12 months.