House & Chapter Literature & Guidelines » Oxford Houses of Virginia

Plus, some of our treatment facilities—such as the Desert Hope Treatment Center in Las Vegas and Greenhouse Treatment Center near Dallas/Fort Worth—include sober living environments. Contact one of our to discuss both treatment and sober living options today . In its simplest form, an Oxford House is a shared residence where people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction can live together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free environment. The Oxford House Model provides community based, supportive, and sober living environment. This structured management approach fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership among residents, contributing to their recovery journey. Additionally, having 8 to 15 members helps maintain a balance in house responsibilities, ensuring that tasks such as financial management and house chores are distributed fairly among residents.

Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis For Addiction Rehab

Too often, newly recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are faced with the necessity of living alone and of relying oxford house rules and guidelines solely on contacts with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to stay sober. Some are able to keep from drinking in spite of the loneliness with which they were faced. The alcoholic or drug addict alone begins to compare himself to those members of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous who still have family and friends. Loneliness and self-pity soon lead such individuals back to alcoholic drinking or drug use. With Oxford House there is no need for a recovering individual to live in an environment dominated by loneliness. The heart of all recovery residences is the Social Model, an operational framework that distinguishes these environments from other shared living spaces.

• All recovery residences offer alcohol and illicit substance-free living environments and utilize a social model recovery approach.
• Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the members who elect officers to serve for terms of six months.
• At AAC, we offer trained and compassionate admissions navigators that can help answer questions about treatment and recovery.
• The self-governing nature of Oxford Houses, combined with their supportive community environment, contributes to lower relapse rates and better overall success in maintaining sobriety compared to conventional sober living homes.
• This ensures that the environment promotes accountability and recovery, aligning with the principles of the Oxford House organization.

Why Do People Live in an Oxford House?

The degree to which we were able to successfully change our lives had a direct relationship to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Many of us soon learned, however, that living alone or living among our old drinking companions made it more difficult to practice the principles necessary for continued sobriety. Rent and the various utilities paid by residents vary by location, but the cost of living in an Oxford House is usually no more than what it would cost to live elsewhere.

Reward Pathway: Definition, Function and Addiction Effect on It

I just had to follow the rules, get along with everyone, and work on my recovery. But together we have learned to manage and maintain the house and interact as a family. Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff to provide technical assistance to the network of houses to foster the expansion of the Oxford House Model.

Social Media Detox: Steps, Strategies, Benefits, Challenges and Post-Detox Treatment

Alcoholics and drug addicts seem to have a tendency to test and retest the validity of any real, potential, or imagined restriction on their behavior. Staff are supervised, trained, or credentialed and are often graduates of a recovery residence. Level III’s are designed to support populations who need more intense support in developing recovery capital than provided by Level I or Level II. Level III’s are required to be licensed in a few states, reflecting the therapeutic nature of the services provided. Also, Oxford House residents demonstrated higher employment rates and lower instances of illegal activities, further highlighting the effectiveness of this model in promoting recovery and reintegration into society.

An Oxford House is managed by a publicly supported nonprofit organization that operates primarily under the principles of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Each house is democratically run by its residents, who elect officers to oversee daily operations, ensuring everyone has a voice in house management. The residents are responsible for maintaining a drug-free environment and managing household expenses collaboratively. During the last days of our drinking or using drugs, most of us ceased to function as responsible individuals.

How do neighbors feel about Oxford Houses?

An underlying principle of Oxford House is 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. It has been the experience of Oxford House that participation in AA and NA is extremely high in an environment where one individual can see another individual, with the same disease, reaping great benefits from AA and/or NA participation. For questions regarding recovery residence locations for emerging adults (ages 18-25), vacancies, house contact and phone numbers; visit Be Well Texas. For questions regarding Level 1 recovery residence locations, vacancies, house contact and phone numbers; visit Oxford House.

Adult Substance Use Recovery Residences

To join an Oxford House, a person must undergo an application process that includes an interview with current residents, who must then approve the applicant by a two-thirds majority vote. Financially, residents contribute to the household by paying a weekly rent—typically around $132—which covers utilities and shared food expenses, making it a cost-effective alternative to traditional treatment options. Paul Molloy’s vision was to establish self-supporting, self-governed homes for recovering alcoholics and addicts across America. The article highlights the success of these houses, where recovering individuals work together, abide by simple rules, and maintain a drug-free environment. The expansion of Oxford House, despite initial skepticism, led to Congress passing a law to support the model nationally, with state funds allocated for similar initiatives. The article explores the challenges and debates surrounding the concept, emphasizing the transformative impact it has had on residents’ lives.

Most Addictive Drug Types

To discourage an excessive dependence on leaders, it is a principle of Oxford House that no member should serve in the same office for a continuous period of longer than six months. Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a 28-day rehabilitation program or at least a 5 to 10 day detoxification program. Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the residents who elect officers to serve for terms of six months. In this respect, they are similar to a college fraternity, sorority, or a small New England town.

The first Oxford House was established on May 28, 1975, in Silver Spring, Maryland, by Paul Molloy, who aimed to create a supportive living environment that encourages long-term sobriety. One Drug rehabilitation 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.