Each member has one vote and majority rule applies except that 80% of the members must agree in accepting new persons for membership. Each House represents a remarkably effective and low cost method of preventing oxford house sober living relapse. 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 2000 houses in the United States today.
Q. Can both men and women live in the same Oxford House?
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community – a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused. Having houses in good neighborhoods with a safe environment for recovery to flourish may be the single most important reason for the Oxford House success. To learn more about different types of recovery housing and their accreditation, you can visit the National Association of Recovery Residences (NARR) website. The average number of times an Oxford House resident has been through prior treatment is three, but for about a quarter of residents their Oxford House residency is after their first treatment episode. While research on AA has been limited by the role of anonymity in recovery, the willingness of the Oxford Houses to open their doors to academic research gives us an opportunity to see recovery from addiction in action.
What Do Your Costs Cover?
In 1975, a tight budget in Montgomery County, Maryland led to a decision to close one of the four county-run halfway houses. The thirteen men living in the halfway house rented the building and decided to run it themselves. That was an important change because recovering individuals take different lengths of time to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse. Addicted individuals help themselves by helping each other abstain from alcohol and drug use one day at a time.
Q. Are there Oxford Houses set up for special populations?
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. In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically run, self-supporting and drug 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.
Self-run, Self-supported Recovery Houses
The members of an Oxford House assume full responsibility for the operation of the House. The rent that is charged the members is determined by the members themselves in a democratic fashion. The rules which govern the house are for the most part also made by those who live in a particular Oxford House Such autonomy is essential for the Oxford House system to work. An underlying principle of Oxford House is that each individual member has the ability to be responsible for himself.
- One can only be dismissed from an Oxford House because of drinking, using drugs, non-payment of rent, or disruptive behavior.
- Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the residents who elect officers to serve for terms of six months.
- The bond that holds the group together is the desire to stop drinking and stay stopped.
- Some houses are all veterans but primarily veterans are integrated into the normal Oxford House population.
- The application is then considered by the membership of the House and if there is a vacancy and if 80% of the members approve, the applicant is accepted and moves in.
- The opportunity for a house to democratically function requires periodic meetings within the house — at least once a week.
- In conclusion, Oxford Houses offer a unique and valuable option for individuals seeking a supportive and safe environment to maintain their sobriety.
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 dissatisfaction was in part the realization that we were shirking responsibility for our own lives and in part a resentment of authority.
Q. How much sobriety or clean time is needed before an individual can be accepted into an Oxford House?
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. The reason that each Oxford House is independent arises from the very practical consideration that those who are closest to a situation are best able to manage it.
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