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. 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. 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).
What to Look For in a Sober Roommate or Sober Housing Environment
- Oxford Houses also facilitate job opportunities by helping residents connect with local employment resources, allowing them to rebuild their lives and regain independence.
- Oxford House must always have as its Primary goal the provision of housing and rehabilitative support for the alcoholic who wants to stop drinking and stay stopped and the drug addict who wants to stop using drugs and stay stopped.
- 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.
Consider proximity to meetings, outpatient programs, therapy, work or school, public transportation, and healthy activities like gyms and parks that support your recovery routine. These platforms offer built-in filters for sobriety, values, recovery stage, schedule, and location, avoiding the risk of typical “party-house” roommate listings. Complete your profile honestly, state your boundaries clearly upfront, and search specifically for New Jersey matches. Some operate for several years and then, because of expiration of a lease, dissatisfaction with the facilities, or simply the finding of a better location, the members of a particular House will move into a new location. In both cases, financial assistance is in the form of a loan having a pay back schedule, not to exceed one year, defined up front. (Since 1989, many new Oxford Houses have taken advantage of state revolving loan programs.
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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. The advantages of Oxford Houses include a strong sense of community, accountability, and mutual support, which are invaluable during addiction recovery. Sharing experiences and coping strategies creates a robust network that significantly enhances recovery outcomes. Sober living homes provide a straightforward way to gain sober roommates within an already-established structure. New Jersey is increasingly recognized as a recovery-friendly state with a broad network of sober living homes and addiction recovery support throughout North, Central, and South Jersey.
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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. The document outlines the policies, expectations, and guidelines for members living in an Oxford House. New members must sign agreeing to abide by the rules, continue any aftercare programs, work or volunteer 20 hours per week, and understand their financial obligations.
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- 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.
- We are available day and night to provide confidential support and answer all inquiries.
- Our master’s-level addiction therapists provide expert, compassionate care tailored to your needs.
- 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.
- Living within an Oxford House provides both the opportunity and motivation for all residents to regularly attend AA and/or NA meetings.
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. 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. An Oxford House Chapter is an additional level of support for individual Oxford Houses. Chapters are important links in making the democratic system of organization underlying Oxford House™ work.
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Without professional staff, residents help each other by sharing their experiences and offering mutual support, fostering accountability and encouragement in maintaining sobriety. This collaborative approach creates a strong community bond for individual recovery and personal growth. This structured management approach fosters a sense of responsibility and ownership among residents, contributing to their recovery journey. Oxford houses are effective; individuals who reside in these structured environments experience lower rates of relapse compared to those who do not engage in similar support systems. Overall, these homes play an important role in the recovery journey, offering a comprehensive framework that nurtures healing and empowers individuals to reclaim their lives and futures.
Step Checklist For Choosing and Entering Drug and Alcohol Rehab
Every Oxford House member attributes his sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous. Each Oxford House member, as an individual, considers himself a member of AA and/or NA. Today Oxford House has more than 20,000 residents at more than 3,500 oxford house homes across 47 states and several foreign countries. A long-running study by Chicago’s DePaul University shows that people completing one year of residency maintain a sobriety rate as high as 80 percent. For a couple of months in 1975, he found himself living on the streets and begging strangers for money before he entered a rehabilitation program. He moved to a county-run halfway house in Silver Spring, MD, to recover but soon learned that the facility was about to close.
Oxford House is a well-established model of democratically run, self-supporting, drug-free homes for people in recovery. Residents share responsibilities, including chores, house maintenance, and rent. The house operates democratically with all residents having a voice, no professional staff, and members must remain abstinent from drugs and alcohol. Houses are gender-specific, and residents can stay as long as they remain sober.
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During our drinking and drug use years, and even before, many of us found it difficult to accept authority. Many individuals in society are able to abide by the strict letter of any rule, regulation , or law. 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. 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. An Oxford House refers to self-managed recovery residences designed to support individuals in recovery from substance use disorders.