While halfway houses are designed specifically for people who are finishing inpatient treatment programs, sober living homes can be utilized as a first-line approach to recovering from substance use disorder. Compared to halfway houses, sober living homes offer residents far more control over the nature of their recovery program. Residents of a sober house are often required to participate in 12 step meetings or other group therapy, as well take drug tests or undergo searches for drugs or other paraphernalia.

A sober friend can be critical in the recovery process and knowing what your role is will help you prepare for the challenge. Sober living homes offer many benefits and allow people to feel fully integrated into everyday life. Explore concerns like finances, rules, activities, and success rates. If you or a loved one needs more information, contact a treatment provider today.

Halfway Houses

The time spent in a sober-living home depends on a number of factors including strength of recovery from addiction, progress on clinical milestones and the personal living situation at home. A minimum stay of three months is recommended, but many benefit from a longer stay for sustained sobriety. Halfway houses serve as the halfway point between an institution and independent society, with residents usually coming from either correctional or inpatient treatment facilities. Its zoning enabling statute specifies that sober houses must be
permitted as a matter of right or conditionally in all residential zones, but
they must meet all applicable county and state laws, codes, and rules.

Some sober living houses are considered to be outpatient treatment centers, which means they also provide on-site medical care. These types of houses will be staffed by psychiatric nurses and licensed clinical social workers. As the name implies, the primary requirement of a sober living community is abstaining from drugs and alcohol while residing in the home. Sober living houses do not offer formal treatment of any type, but residents are usually required or strongly encouraged to attend 12-Step group programs or outpatient treatment. Moreover, these homes typically have a set of house rules that everyone living there must follow. If an addict has been using for years, recovery will not happen in 30 days – or 60 days – or even 90 days.

Strength in Numbers with Peer Support

Sober living homes are places where people in recovery can live for a while, typically after an inpatient treatment program. The hope is that with a period of extra support at a substance abuse halfway house or other sober living home, residents will learn the skills to be self-sufficient and maintain sobriety on their own. Yes, sober residences help people remain sober and gain long-term sobriety. Residents are typically required to abstain from drugs and alcohol and to follow certain house rules designed to promote sobriety. These rules may include maintaining employment, attending 12-step meetings, and participating in household chores.

Drugs and alcohol can rewire the brain, disrupting function and leading to dependency. It results in a distorted value system that shifts toward supporting ongoing substance use. Ascension Recovery Services is a team of experts and specialists with years of experience working with individuals and organizations aiming to open sober house behavioral health organizations. From analysis and planning, to operational programming, to marketing planning and community relations, our team has the experience and capabilities to effectively launch an organized and professional SLH. Complete the form and a treatment advisor will contact you at the number provided.

Be prepared for recovery support to be a lifelong process

Instead, they are a sign that the method of treatment needs to be changed. A multi-year study of people with substance use disorder showed that only about a third of recovering individuals who had been sober for less than a year remained abstinent. Alcohol or substance dependency can be a destructive illness that keeps someone from living the life they want.

If you’re getting out of an inpatient program, there should be plenty of discussion between you and your treatment team about what the next steps for you will look like. It’s important for aftercare to be considered before you even enter treatment. Here, we endeavor to answer all parts of the question, “How do sober living homes work?