Using this cost-effective way to improve the chances of recovery from addiction may be the best way to show the community that recovery works and that recovering addicts can become model citizens. This was the purpose of the first Oxford House established in 1975, and this purpose is served, day by day, house after house, in each of over 1,200 houses in the United States today. During 2010, approximately 24,000 individuals lived in an Oxford House for some or part of the year.
How to Start an Oxford House
- Once that application is completed and received by Oxford House, Inc., a “Conditional Charter” will be granted to the house at no cost.
- Oxford House, Inc. litigated the issue and in 1995 the United States Supreme Court considered the issue in City of Edmonds, WA v. Oxford House, Inc. et.
- 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.
Established in 1975, these homes aim to provide a safe and supportive environment where residents can work together to maintain their sobriety and transition back into the community. Oxford House Inc., is a non-profit, tax exempt, publicly supported corporation which acts as a umbrella organization for the national network of Oxford Houses. It provides quality control by organizing regional Houses into Chapters and by relying heavily upon the national network of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous groups. While Oxford House is not affiliated with AA or NA, its members realize that recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction can only be assured by the changing of their lifestyle through full participation in AA and NA. In most communities, the members of those organizations help Oxford Houses get started and report any charter compliance problems to the national office of Oxford House World Services with respect to a particular house.
- The average stay is a little over a year, but many residents stay three, four, or more years.
- Parallel to this concept lies the organizational structure of Oxford House, Inc.
- The dissatisfaction was in part the realization that we were shirking responsibility for our own lives and in part a resentment of authority.
- All they need to do is to find a house to rent in the name of the group, and apply to Oxford House, Inc., for a charter.
- Q. What is the “ideal” number of individuals to make a self-run, self-supported recovery house work?
Why Do People Choose to Live in an Oxford House?
Q. How much sobriety or clean time is needed before an individual can be accepted into an Oxford House? Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a rehabilitation program, incarceration, or at least a detoxification program. At any given time there are about 2,000 Oxford House residents who have served in the military. During the course of a year more than 4,000 veterans will live in an Oxford House. Some houses are all veterans but primarily veterans are integrated into the normal Oxford House population. Oxford House will not charter a house with fewer than six individuals because experience has shown that it takes at least six individuals to form an effective group.
Oxford Houses: A Comprehensive Guide to Sober Living Homes for Recovery
Nearly all members of Oxford House utilize the AA and/or NA program in order to obtain and keep a comfortable sobriety. However, an Oxford House relies primarily upon example for assuring a high percentage of AA and/or NA attendance from its members. As a general rule formal AA or NA meetings are not held in an Oxford House member who has maintained comfortable sobriety in an Oxford House makes it a practice to attend a lot of AA and/or NA meetings on a regular basis. Repayment from those start-up loans assures the continuation of the revolving fund to enable other new houses to get started — just as repayment of loans to chapters permits the same resources to be used again and again.
How do Oxford Houses operate, and what makes them unique in the sober living community?
As soon as Oxford House Inc., hears of such problems, it takes corrective action because the good name of Oxford House is an important factor in the recovery of thousands of individuals. During early recovery for alcoholism and drug addiction, some members had to leave an institution in order to make room for an alcoholic or drug addict just beginning the recovery process. Other members were asked to leave half-way houses in order to make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a half-way house. Each individual recovers from alcoholism or drug addiction at a different pace. All too often, an abrupt transition from a protected environment to an environment which places considerable glamour on the use of alcohol and drugs causes a return to alcoholic drinking or addictive drug use.
This policy ensures that the Oxford House maintains a safe and supportive sober living environment for all residents. As part of a comprehensive addiction treatment plan, recovery housing like Oxford Houses can play a crucial role in helping individuals stay in treatment and maintain their sobriety. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a stable living environment can significantly improve treatment outcomes. To learn more about the importance of recovery housing, you can read this NIDA article on recovery housing.
Oxford House, Inc. acts as the coordinating body for providing charters for the opening of new Oxford Houses. It also acts as the coordinating body to help individual houses to organize mutually supportive chapters. Through chapters individual houses are able to share their experience, strength and hope with each other to assure compliance with the Oxford House concept and its respected standardized system of oxford house sober living operations. The only members who will ever be asked to leave an Oxford House are those who return to drinking, using drugs, or have disruptive behavior, including the nonpayment of rent. No Oxford House can tolerate the use of alcohol or drugs by one of its members because that threatens the sobriety of all of the members. Neither can an Oxford House function if some do not pay their fair share of the costs.
Modest rooms and living facilities can become luxurious suites when viewed from an environment of alcoholics working together for comfortable sobriety. Yes, the Oxford House community is built on the foundation of peer support. Residents are encouraged to share their experiences, learn from one another, and help each other stay accountable. In addition to the support from fellow residents, many Oxford House members also participate in external recovery programs and support groups, further strengthening their commitment to sober living. If a resident relapses, they are usually asked to leave the house immediately to protect the sobriety of other residents. However, they are encouraged to seek help and may reapply for residence once they have reestablished their commitment to sobriety.
- Yes, by simply writing or calling Oxford House to ask for a Charter application.
- All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds.
- An underlying principle of Oxford House is that each individual member has the ability to be responsible for himself.
- In conclusion, Oxford Houses offer a unique and valuable option for individuals seeking a supportive and safe environment to maintain their sobriety.
- The bond that holds the group together is the desire to stop drinking and stay stopped.
- In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically run, self-supporting and drug free home.