What Is the Oxford House Model? Peer-Supported Sober Living

Starting new Houses through the mutual assistance of existing Oxford Houses is a tradition because each House was started with the help of existing Houses and tends to pass on to others that which they received. Once more applications are received than there are beds available, the members of any Oxford House will begin to look around for another suitable house. 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. By running Oxford House on a democratic basis, members of Oxford House become able to accept the authority of the group because the group is a peer group. Each member has an equal voice in the group and each has an opportunity to relearn responsibility and to accept decisions once they are made.

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

Oxford Houses operates on a democratic model, where residents participate in decision-making processes, which fosters a sense of accountability and community. Such environments significantly enhance recovery outcomes by providing a stable living situation and promoting healthy resident relationships. My journey of recovery began when I accidentally put myself into cardiac arrest in my disgusting studio apartment, on the run from probation. I was completely out of reach of my phone, unable to get up to answer the door even if I could, by some miracle, reach out to anyone.

Let’s take a closer look at how the Oxford House Model works.

• 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.
• This self-governance enhances recovery outcomes by providing a stable living situation and promoting healthy resident relationships.
• The Oxford House organization is a publicly supported, non-profit 501(c)3 corporation, providing a network connecting all Oxford House homes and working to help fund and support growth in terms of new homes when needs arise.
• Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a rehabilitation program, incarceration, or at least a detoxification program.
• Sometimes, home is not the best place to be, especially for those in recovery.
• Our mission is to provide housing supported by the Oxford Model throughout all areas of the state for those in need, as well as contribute as a dedicated partner organization in support of unity and strength within the recovery community.

Each member has one vote and majority rule applies except that 80% of the members must agree in accepting new persons for membership. The present article addresses the primary outcome studies conducted on one form of recovery home called Oxford House. We also examine whether settings such as Oxford Houses have an impact on their greater community. Finally, the implications for how clinicians might work with these types of community support settings will be reviewed. “We found that participants assigned to a communal living Oxford House compared to usual care condition had significantly less substance use and criminal involvement and, significantly better employment outcomes.”

Level IV (Service Provider)

• In its simplest form, an Oxford House is a shared residence where people in recovery from substance use disorder can live together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free environment.
• It was the first step in a nationwide movement, now almost 50 years old, that has been credited with helping thousands of people overcome addiction and lead productive lives.
• At any given time there are about 2,000 Oxford House residents who have served in the military.
• Despite the out-of-pocket costs, the investment in sober living can be economically beneficial in the long run.
• I’m an active alumnus for Chapter 1 as well as the Central Arizona Alumni Association.
• Abstinence-specific social support may be critical to facilitating abstinence among persons with substance use disorders.

They called their experiment in group living and joint sobriety Oxford House. It was the first step in a nationwide movement, now almost 50 years old, that has been credited with helping thousands of people overcome addiction and lead productive lives. Instead of being left to their own fates, Mr. Molloy and other residents decided to take over the house themselves, paying the expenses and utilities, cooking the meals and keeping watch over one another’s path to recovery.

Samantha Wilson – Resident

I got to meet and know other World Council members.I moved out of Oxford House in April of 2022 in good standing. I’m an active alumnus for Chapter 1 as well as the Central Arizona Alumni Association. I am forever grateful for Oxford House and the lives it saves daily. I’m originally from St. Louis Missouri I came to Florida in June of 2022 and spent some time at the Salvation Army. Oct of 2022 is when I finally came to Oxford House with a year of sobriety already, I had been white-knuckling my recovery.

• When we stopped drinking, we began to realize that in order to stay stopped, our lives would need to change.
• While not required, these certifications hold homes to higher standards of care, boosting their credibility and trustworthiness.
• Oxford House works by providing a structured, self-governing environment for individuals in recovery from substance abuse.
• No other significant differences were found between the two groups of houses, including sense of community among residents, neighborhood or policy characteristics, and house age.

For some, this involvement also included speaking at political events (16%), and attending community meetings (30%), and public hearings and forums (21%). Other general community activities reported by participants included working with youth (32%), fundraising (30%), and volunteering time with community organizations (23%). These findings indicate that Oxford House residents are not only working on their own recovery, but also Sobriety working to make positive changes in their communities. Our next large scale completed study received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This study examined abstinence-specific social support and successful abstention from substance use in a national sample of over 900 Oxford House residents.

What Are The House Rules For Sober Living?

Originating as a solution for easing the transition for individuals released from prison, halfway houses have expanded their role to encompass support for those recovering from substance use disorders. This evolution mirrors broader shifts in approaches to rehabilitation, emphasizing continuity of care and community-based support. A recovering individual can live in an Oxford House for as long as he or she does not drink alcohol, does not use illicit drugs, and pays an equal share of the house expenses. The average stay is a little over a year, but many residents stay three, four, or more years. The Oxford House model requires that the property be suitable for creating a supportive living environment for individuals in recovery. Potential properties must meet specific criteria, including being located in safe, residential neighborhoods and having enough space to accommodate multiple residents.

Where to Find Sober Living?

• The house meetings and the accountability enforced by the house manager helped him navigate early recovery challenges and avoid relapse.
• For those of us who had been in institutions or half-way houses, resentments against authority were common.
• Call the contact person for each house you’re interested in to set up an interview.
• Oxford House is built on the premise of expanding in order to meet the needs of recovering alcoholics and drug addicts.

Many homes use democratic processes to address grievances and conflicts, allowing residents to have a voice in resolutions. In severe cases, it might lead to mediation involving external counselors or, rarely, eviction if the conflict threatens the safety and well-being of other residents. Sober homes can have different price points starting with the same price as a local motel where luxury sober living homes might be more what is the oxford house akin to a high end AirBNB payment. Oxford Houses are a community-based, mutual-help residential community where participants seeking recovery from substance use disorders must obtain jobs, pay utility bills, and refrain from disruptive behavior. The Rocky Mountain state is Home to a vast network of Oxford Houses of which provide an empowering peer-ran atmosphere that supports healthy lifestyle practices and comradery for those seeking long-term recovery. Colorado is a rapidly growing state through replication and expansion of the number of Oxford Houses by demand.

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. Initially, the structure and supervision of such facilities were acceptable because physically and mentally, we were exhausted.