The idea was to remove clients from destructive living environments that encouraged substance use and create new social support systems in treatment. Some programs created halfway houses where clients could reside after they completed residential treatment or while they attended outpatient treatment. Residents of sober living homes tend to partake voluntarily and simultaneously continue with outpatient treatment. Sober living homes are run privately or as a part of a continuum of care from an addiction treatment provider. A sober living home allows a person to apply skills learned in treatment to real life in a less triggering environment. Sober living homes offer more privacy and professional support than halfway houses.

Having retrained in addictions, he now works exclusively in the field and until recently was an advisor to the Scottish government on drugs policy. His opinions expressed here don’t necessarily represent the views of his employer. Find more of his writing, as well as a thought-provoking range of articles, insights and expert opinions on treatment and addiction, at RecoveryReview.com.blog. Now that you have answers to the questions, “what is a halfway house?

Why is a Sober Living Home So Important?

Sober living houses can foster peer encouragement, camaraderie, character development, and accountability in residents. The outcomes of living in such an environment can include positive health, behavioral, and relationship changes. Going to a sober living house has been proven to support sobriety efforts, with results ranging from a decreased amount of relapses to long-term sobriety. They first came into existence when a group of active participants in the Alcoholics Anonymous group created a “12-step” residence. This was a home, typically placed in low-income housing, that enforced policies around sobriety and required attendance to AA meetings. Meetings were held both in the home and in neighboring organizations in the community.

Peer grouping is built on powerful friendships that help to facilitate recovery and long-term, quality sobriety, and we find this support system extends far beyond the walls of our sober living houses. Rather, it is a community – a sisterhood or a brotherhood of like-minded individuals, with similar experiences and a mutual desire to stay sober. Residents have the opportunity to build meaningful and healthy relationships. These friendships are not built via drugs or alcohol, and for this reason, often sustain long after treatment has ended. Many residents at Turnbridge leave with lifelong relationships and an unwavering sober support network to call when things get tough. Developing a social network that supports ongoing sobriety is also an important component of the recovery model used in SLHs.

How do sober living homes work during the intake process? How do I get into one?

Recovery Housing Scholarship – Applicants for the scholarship must have a history of opioid and/or stimulant use. All payments will be paid directly to the housing program which must be OKARR/NARR certified and MAT/MOUD accepting or an Oxford House. (This funding may not be used for rental deposits and the individual’s rent may not be more than 30% of their income). An individual may receive a scholarship one time per funding year (October 1-September 30). Once an applicant is deemed eligible, there is no need to ever reapply. State, county, and city governments are increasingly regulating sober living homes, so they meet specific standards.

Specific nuances of each rule depend on the sober living home or manager. As you’re searching for the environment that’s right for you, ask each potential recovery home what their rules are. Those searching for the right sober living home should look for facilities with reputable staff, and a safe and productive living environment and culture.

So, how do sober living homes work, anyway? What even are they?

While a sober living house doesn’t offer individual or group counseling, it offers structure and support to help you maintain your sobriety. Additionally, maintaining your sobriety typically requires a home that is free of substances. Sober living facilities are often thought of as a sober person’s pipeline to life in mainstream society. These are residential facilities that provide structure and support for those healing from addiction.

The average sober house is not likely to have many amenities, and the person renting a room there must provide their own groceries, medications, and income. These are important steps because routine and personal growth will help the person take their mind off substance abuse, which in turn helps to prevent relapse. California, however, is leading the way in regulating these facilities, so they do not discriminate, are not discriminated against, and maintain good health and safety standards for residents. Renting in a large city like Los Angeles will be more expensive than in smaller cities, but this is normal. When searching for a sober living home, look for places with rent costs that seem reasonable.

How to Pay for Your Stay at a Sober Living House

They can focus on their healing (physically, mentally, emotionally) and take the steps needed to re-discover and re-establish themselves. The two types of recovery houses assessed in this study showed different strengths and weaknesses and served different types of individuals. Communities and addiction treatment systems should therefore carefully assess the types of recovery housing that might be most helpful to their communities. There are several limitations to the study that are important to consider. First, we could not directly compare which type of SLH was most effective because there were demographic and other individual characteristics that differed between the two types of houses.

They understand the struggles you’re facing and the stress you feel trying not to let family and friends down on your sobriety journey. Instead of being alone and dealing with these things, you have others around you to help remedy these feelings of loneliness. You’ll meet and interact with different kinds people in Recovery Housing, and they will have their own perspective on sobriety that you can apply to your life.

Stairway Recovery Homes has multiple sober living homes located in Los Angeles, CA. The difference between Stairway Recovery Homes, and other sober livings, is our community. At Stairways, we feel it is imperative for our clients to build a strong support network of peers from the beginning of their recovery process. We strive to stop the vicious cycle of drug and alcohol detox, to rehab, to relapse, then back to detox.

• Lack of administrative attention suggests that the facility may not be well-run or legitimate, which could put your sobriety at risk.
• These activities affect the mind positively and give the resident a sense of belonging.
• Halfway houses are very similar to other sober-living residences, and it’s no surprise that people often confuse them.
• Unlike traditional sober living houses, New Life House is tailored to work specifically with young men.
• An inpatient treatment center requires 30 days where the recovering addict will check-in and stay at the facility for ongoing therapy and treatment.