Several factors determine length of stay, such as the severity of the addiction, a person’s history of substance abuse, their recovery progress, ability to follow rules and ability to pay rent. Most residents at sober living homes have a private or semiprivate room. The homes usually include a kitchen, common areas and laundry accommodations. Sometimes, home is not the best place to be, especially for those in recovery.

When they find such a house they will bring it up with the other existing Houses and if there is a consensus they will attempt to find the start up money and members to fill the new house. Often several members of an existing House will move into the new House to provide a core group of new members who already know how an Oxford House works. 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.

Q. What is the success rate for Oxford House residents?

Most homes house between eight and 15 members, with most staying about a year. To begin the admission process, you must fill out an Oxford House application. Once that’s what is an oxford house received by the house, you’ll be interviewed by the house members. After the interview, the house members will decide if you’ll be allowed to move in by taking a vote.

Initially, the structure and supervision of such facilities were acceptable because physically and mentally, we were exhausted. Later, some of us were to move into half-way houses which provided shelter, food, and supervision. As our recovery progressed, the supervision and dependency on a half-way house created dissatisfaction.

The Oxford House Network:

The houses are run by residents and emphasize peer support as an essential component of recovery. Since Oxford Houses are self-supported, they are the most cost-effective way to deal with recovery from alcoholism, drug addiction and co-occurring mental illness. Some of us had lived for a time in alcoholic and drug rehabilitation facilities. Those facilities provided us with shelter, food, and therapy for understanding alcoholism.

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. 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. Experience of Oxford House has shown that from 8 to 15 members works very well. 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.