Every member has an equal vote regardless of how long they’ve been there. It continues to stand the test of time as a leading model in sober living. In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a self-run, self-supported recovery houses. Some sober living homes are covered by private insurance, government funding or Medicaid.

Individual Growth
We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Today Oxford House has more than 20,000 residents at more than 3,500 homes across 47 states and several foreign countries. A long-running study by Chicago’s DePaul oxford house traditions University shows that people completing one year of residency maintain a sobriety rate as high as 80 percent.
Benefits of the Oxford House Model
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.
- 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).
- 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.
- Paul Molloy was a young lawyer on Capitol Hill who had a key role in drafting legislation that created Amtrak and other federal programs.
- For more than twenty-five years, a DePaul University-based research team has been involved in studying Oxford Houses in order to better understand the role they play in substance abuse recovery.
Start Your Addiction Recovery Journey Today
Oxford Houses work well for recovering individuals who have completed residential treatment, have achieved initial sobriety, and are ready for a more independent, self-regulated environment. They are a good fit for those who want a strong support network without the more structured oversight of halfway houses. The Oxford House model is an innovative approach to sober living, offering a supportive environment for individuals recovering from addiction. This model provides a unique blend of independence and communal living, fostering responsibility and mutual support among residents. Understanding how the Oxford House model operates can be instrumental for those seeking recovery or wishing to support loved ones on this journey. What sets Oxford Houses apart from traditional sober living homes is their democratic model, where residents actively participate in decision-making processes, fostering a sense of accountability and community.

Housing Summary Report

Use this form to send us comments, questions or suggestions, or to request information for subscriptions or sponsors. SHARE is built by and for New Mexicans, and we rely on you to provide input and content for these pages. „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.” The Board of Directors maintains the sole right to Charter, and to revoke the Charter of, individual Oxford Houses and exercises authority over the policies and officers of Oxford House, Inc.
How to Apply to an Oxford House
They are designed for individuals needing more intense support and are required to be licensed in some states. Recovery Residence Levels define the range of recovery housing, providing alcohol and substance-free environments with a social model recovery approach. These residences vary in staffing, governance, and recovery support services, guided by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) categorization.
(Since 1989, many new Oxford Houses have taken advantage of state revolving loan programs. A major part of the Oxford House philosophy is Alcohol Use Disorder that dependency is best overcome through an acceptance of responsibility. In Oxford House, each member equally shares the responsibility for the running of the House and upholding the Oxford House tradition.
Oxford Houses also facilitate job opportunities by helping residents connect with local employment resources, allowing them to rebuild their lives and regain independence. 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.
They will return to their families; they may start new families; they may simply move into another living situation. Individuals living in each of the Oxford Houses have also been responsible for starting many new groups of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous having meetings near an Oxford House. This not only helps those individuals to become more involved in AA or NA, and thereby reap greater individual benefits, but also helps to build strong bonds between local AA and NA groups and Oxford House. Repayment from those start-up loans assures the continuation of the revolving fund to enable other new houses to get started — just as repayment of loans to chapters permits the same resources to be used again and again. Starting new Houses through the mutual assistance of existing Oxford Houses is a tradition because each House was started with https://www.pecpk.com/2021/12/10/alcohol-and-aging-does-drinking-make-you-look/ the help of existing Houses and tends to pass on to others that which they received.
How Long Can a Person Stay in an Oxford House?
- Find documents, templates, and everything residents need while living at an Oxford House.
- An Oxford House member can stay as long as they like, provided they stay drug and alcohol free and pay their share of house expenses.
- Family and friends may unintentionally expose them to drugs and alcohol, work stress can escalate, and isolation may start to feel like an option.
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. Oxford Houses flourish in metropolitan areas such as New York City and Washington D.C. And thrive in such diverse communities as Hawaii, Washington State, Canada and Australia; but they all abide by the basic criteria. While no one is ever asked to leave an Oxford House without cause, some individuals will simply outgrow living in an Oxford House.