Dr. Kennedy also suggests touring the home and asking to speak with current residents or alumni. Smith recommends asking and looking for what sets one SLH apart from the others to make sure its focus and expertise align with your objectives and personality. You’ll get a 100% custom plan, then daily texts to track your progress and help you stay on target. The compensation we receive sober house from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Health. Sober Living Home is a great tool for assistance in the recovery from Drug and Alcohol addiction. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine.
- While sober living houses have research touting their efficacy, it is also important to remember that they are still environments where you are living with others and the focus is on staying sober.
- However, most Level 1 RRs don’t provide onsite recovery services, with the possible exception of an optional 12-step recovery meeting held weekly at the home.
Sober living homes, sometimes referred to as transitional living arrangements, halfway houses, or recovery residences, can be a step down from formal substance use treatment programs. These homes can offer an in-between option for individuals after they complete a treatment program and before they return to their homes and lives. This transition can provide continued support while residents learn to apply their newly learned self-reliant skills to real-life situations while they remain drug- or alcohol-free in a community environment. Sober living homes are often mistakenly referred to as “halfway houses”. In fact, sober living homes are actually continuing treatment centers that provide affordable, alcohol and drug free environments, all in support of a recovering addict’s alcohol or drug rehabilitation efforts. Studies prove that people who spend at least 18 months in a sober environment have a much higher chance at maintaining recovery.
What is the Purpose of a Halfway House?
A Level I sober living home typically does not have any paid staff and relies on its residents to monitor behavior and enforce policies and procedures. Addicts and their families should choose their sober living facility carefully, long before the resident must move in and call it home. Performing inspections, asking questions, interviewing other residents and reading online reports about the facility may all help.
Sober living houses and halfway houses are often used interchangeably as they both provide a substance-free living environment for those suffering from addiction. Differences between the two can stem from funding, length of stay, and requirements to apply to live there. Sober living homes typically do not limit the length of stay and may not require previous attendance in a formal addiction treatment program. Halfway houses, on the other hand, typically have a time limit and require residents to either be attending a treatment program or have recently completed one. There are no restrictions on who can enroll and live in a halfway house. The only firm rule is that the resident agrees to the rules regarding sobriety.
Tips for choosing a transitional housing or sober living program
There are several important aspects of looking for a beneficial and decent sober living house somewhere near you. Especially if you are just leaving another type of facility, it will be easier for you to transition with the help of others. Here are some of the ways you can find a sober living house that is right for you.
Halfway homes are transitional living facilities for people who are in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction. Many people who complete inpatient long-term addiction treatment will transition to a halfway house as they continue with their recovery. Other people may choose to move into a halfway home instead of staying in their own house in order to take advantage of a clean and sober living environment. In some cases, those who are battling addiction who have run into legal problems are ordered by the court to live in a halfway home.
What Are Sober Living Homes?
Community neighborhoods often are not welcoming to Sober Living Homes that charge drug addicted residents high rent to live in their facilities. People who live near these homes are asking for stricter controls on where the homes can be built and who can enter, but those cases are likely to take years to make their way through the courts. Start by contacting the facility directly to set up an appointment to meet with the staff.
These centers will also curtail your freedom to reduce your risk of relapse. Many people who go to in-patient treatment have a difficult journey ahead of them. They may have lost their job, relationships, friendships, and even family members. Alongside their addiction, long-term use of drugs and alcohol can also cause serious health problems which they may need to treat. The sober house is relatively unstructured and offers people a chance to acclimate to the ‘outside’ world albeit in a safe space. Sober housing or sober living is a bridge for people who have been in a drug rehabilitation center or program and mainstream society.