Since then courts have found that the same protection applies with respect to fire safety standards and rates charged property owners for property insurance coverage. In fact, Oxford Houses must be treated the same as ordinary families. 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. Nearly all members of Oxford House utilize the AA and/or NA program in order to obtain and keep a comfortable sobriety.
Self-run, Self-supporting Addiction Recovery Homes
I think the part that got me most was standing in front of almost 1800 Oxford House members from all over the country and seeking to qualify myself for a position I knew nothing about. Once I learned that I had been voted into a Resident voting member position for the World Council, I was like “Damn, that’s crazy! While serving on the World Council, I learned so many different things including about different committees and the history and purpose of the World Council.
The Oxford House Model provides a community based, supportive, and sober living environment.
The members of an Oxford House assume full responsibility for the operation of the House. The House is theirs and in no way is it part of any other organization. The rent that is charged the members is determined by the members themselves in a democratic fashion.
Oxford House – Tarpon Point
I was wanting a job as an Outreach Worker for months but I ended up relapsing 8 months after I got there. I’m glad I did because when I was finally able again to be an Outreach Worker, a position that was only an hour away from my son, became available in a new area in Alabama. So now I’m an Outreach Worker and completely love what God is doing in my life. I got to Oxford House Enigma on Feb 1st after doing 3 months in county and 28 days in an inpatient treatment program in Holbrook.
Free Rehab Centers
Oxford House should rely on democratically-chosen leaders, but the leaders must always be but trusted servants. 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. 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. List member’s assignments and rotate jobs so that everyone equally shares work to be done.
In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically run, self-supporting and substance free home. Parallel to this concept lies the organizational structure of Oxford House, Inc. This publicly supported, non-profit 501(c)3 corporation is the umbrella organization which provides the network connecting all Oxford Houses and allocates resources to duplicate the Oxford House concept where needs arise. The number of residents in a House may range from six to fifteen; there are houses for men, houses for women, and houses which accept women with children.
David Canada – Resident
Each member pays EES (Equal Expense Share) which includes the total amount of rent due for the month as well as the cost of utilities, telephone, cable TV and any other expenses that the house includes in its common expenditures. Some houses collect EES from its members on a monthly basis while many houses choose to collect EES on a weekly basis. Substance abuse This monthly or weekly amount varies from state to state and house to house and can range anywhere from $125 a week to $250 a week. When you call a house to set up an interview you can ask them how much their EES is. The Oxford House Model provides community based, supportive, and sober living environment. Q. What is the “ideal” number of individuals to make a self-run, self-supported recovery house work?
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. Only the very fortunate are able to make such a transition upon demand.
- Q. How much sobriety or clean time is needed before an individual can be accepted into an Oxford House?
- It is inconsistent with the Oxford House system of democratic rule to have a professional manager of Oxford House.
- 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.
- Yes, by simply writing or calling Oxford House to ask for a Charter application.
However, an Oxford House relies primarily upon example for assuring a high oxford house sober living 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. 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. Any group of recovering individuals can start a new Oxford House. 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. The house must be able to accommodate at least six residents.
While I was in treatment, there was a presentation held about a recovery home call Oxford House. I was at the halfway mark of completing treatment and was on the search for a sober living situation that would be beneficial for my recovery. To be completely honest, I was dreading the fact of moving into sober living based on my past experiences. Most sober living facilities only care about the money, and personal recovery in not a priority, at least in my experience. So, I had attended this presentation on Oxford House, and was instantly interested because it sounded different.
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. Failure to adhere to any of these three requirements would bring the entire Oxford House concept into question. Therefore, it is important that each Oxford House meet these minimum responsibilities in order for its charter to be continued. All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds. However, the members of Oxford House have found only by being active in AA and/or NA have they found comfortable, long-term sobriety — for themselves and the Oxford House in which they live.
If I never would have found this and given a chance to be here, I would have died out there. 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.