Sober Living: Oxford House vs Halfway House

Chapters are important links in making the democratic system of organization underlying Oxford House™ work. The Chapter is the place where all the members of the Oxford House family of individual houses help each other to stay on track and to remain effective. The Chapter is also the place where individuals expand their network of sober friends as Chapters host all kinds of social events that bring their community together. In its simplest form, an Oxford House is a shared residence where people in recovery can live together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free environment. Mr. Molloy and the other residents devised the basic rules of self-government that have shaped Oxford House ever since.

The Oxford House Model provides a community based, supportive, and sober living environment.

The thirteen men living in the halfway house rented the building and decided to run it themselves. That was an important change because recovering individuals take different lengths of time to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse. There is no reason to believe that society as a whole had the responsibility to provide long-term housing within a protected environment for the alcoholic and drug addict.

Parallel to this concept lies the organizational structure of Oxford House, Inc. This publicly supported, non-profit 501(c)3 corporation is the umbrella organization which provides the network connecting all Oxford Houses and allocates resources to duplicate the Oxford House concept where needs arise. In 1975, a tight budget in Montgomery County, Maryland led to a decision to close one of the four county-run halfway houses.

Self Help for Sober Living without Relapse

The houses are self-supporting and democratically run so every house does their own interviews and votes on new member admittance. One can only be dismissed from an Oxford House because of drinking, using drugs, non-payment of rent, or disruptive behavior. Every opportunity should be given to a member who needs professional help to see that he obtains it. When we stopped drinking, we began to realize that in order to stay stopped, our lives would need to change. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous provided a framework for us to change physically, mentally, and spiritually. The degree to which we were able to successfully change our lives had a direct relationship to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

In contrast, Oxford Houses are self-run with democratically-established rules by the residents themselves, and they are self-supported through the residents’ pooled finances. The Model https://yourhealthmagazine.net/article/addiction/sober-houses-rules-that-you-should-follow/ encourages the development of leadership skills and self-efficacy. Slowly but surely, members learn or relearn values and responsible behavior. Any recovering alcoholic or drug addict can apply to get into any Oxford House by filling out an application and being interviewed by the existing members of the House. The application is then considered by the membership of the House and if 80% of the members approve, the applicant is accepted and moves in.

Does Genetics Play a Role in Drug and Alcohol Addiction?

This monthly or weekly amount varies from state to state and house to house and can range anywhere from $125 a week to $250 a week. When you call a house to set up an interview you can ask them how much their EES is. Yes, the prospective residents of the House can find a suitable house, rent it, put up the security deposit and pay the first month’s rent themselves. Oxford House, Inc. will consider favorably a Charter application whether or not a loan is received from the State or some other outside source. The Oxford House concept is a sound one, based on sound principles, and has demonstrated its worth with an established track record.

The houses are designed to provide stable surroundings for those in early recovery, often located in quiet and pleasant neighborhoods. Oxford Houses are built upon the principle of mutual support among recovering individuals, wherein they help each other in achieving a sober lifestyle. Residents are often involved in treatment programs, attend support group meetings, and participate in other wellness activities together.

What is the Model?

The foundational concept behind Oxford Houses is to promote long-term recovery by offering a stable and secure living situation. Oxford Houses typically operate by housing same-sex residents, ensuring that individuals reside with others who share similar experiences and recovery goals. Oxford House, Inc. is a separate nonprofit organization that employs field staff to provide technical assistance to the network of houses to help expand the Oxford House Model. Once accepted, an Oxford House member can stay as long as they like, provided they stay drug and alcohol free, are not disruptive, and pay their share of house expenses. An Oxford House member can stay as long as they like, provided they stay drug and alcohol free and pay their share of house expenses. An Oxford House member can stay as long as they like, provided they stay drug and alcohol free, are not disruptive, and pay their share of house expenses.

In those situations where a member’s behavior is disruptive to the group as a whole, the member may be required to seek such professional help or more self-help meetings in order to avoid being dismissed from Oxford House. For example, the landlord and phone company may require a security deposit and, while furnishings are generally donated, members will often have to rent a truck in order to pick them up. There may also be a need to buy more “staples” such as flour, sugar, coffee, etc. when a House starts up. Failure to adhere to any of these three requirements would bring the entire Oxford House concept into question. Therefore, it is important that each Oxford House meet these minimum responsibilities in order for its charter to be continued.

But together we have learned to manage and maintain the house and interact as a family. Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the members who elect officers to serve for terms of six months. House officers have term limits to avoid bossism or corruption of egalitarian democracy.

An underlying principle of Oxford House is sober house that each individual member has the ability to be responsible for himself. Living within an Oxford House provides both the opportunity and motivation for all residents to regularly attend AA and/or NA meetings. The example of Oxford House members going to AA or NA meetings on their own is contagious. The Oxford House Model is shared, studied, and growing because it works. It continues to stand the test of time as a leading model in sober living. Some houses collect EES from its members on a monthly basis while many houses choose to collect EES on a weekly basis.

• An underlying principle of Oxford House is that each individual member has the ability to be responsible for himself.
• To learn more about the importance of recovery housing, you can read this NIDA article on recovery housing.
• Established in 1975 and continuing to this day, Oxford House boasts over 2,000 homes and growing across the globe.
• Residents appreciate the peer-supported communal living, self-governance, and self-help aspects of the Oxford House model.
• Plus, this option may actually be cheaper than other housing environments given the fact that residents split the household costs among several residents.

• Oxford House members share the house responsibilities and pitch in to do the chores.
• An Oxford house provides recovering addicts a safe, substance-free place to live.
• Being community-based, the Oxford House Model has helped numerous individuals recover from addiction with nearly 3,000 houses in the United States and other countries.
• All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds.
• We were not only dependent upon alcohol and/or drugs, but were also dependent on many others for continuing our alcoholic and/or drug addicted ways.
• Be honest and straight-forward when sharing the Oxford House concept with others.

This prohibition requires local governments to make a reasonable accommodation in their zoning laws to enable handicap individuals to effectively deal with their disability. While research on AA has been limited by the role of anonymity in recovery, the willingness of the Oxford Houses to open their doors to academic research gives us an opportunity to see recovery from addiction in action.