However, there are many differences between an Oxford House and a Halfway House. A major difference is that an Oxford house does not include supervisors or paid staff. The goal is to build self-help, self-efficacy, and a sense of responsibility through this democracy system. Most professionals in the chemical dependency will agree however, oxford house sober living that the Oxford model is better suited for those that have spent a few months in a level 2 home first. Riverhouse and Oxford sober living structures share many similarities with a few key differences. Clearly, it is important to improve the quality of the data for outcomes research with residential substance abuse treatment.

Most participants reported regular contact with extended family members and stated that family members supported their decisions to live in Oxford House. The most commonly endorsed suggestion for increasing Hispanic/Latino representation in Oxford House was to provide more information regarding this innovative mutual-help program. Residents indicated that personal motivation for recovery was a necessary component of their success in Oxford House (Alvarez, Jason, Davis, Ferrari, & Olson, 2007). Additionally, mutual help, social support, a sober living environment, and accountability emerged as strongly-endorsed therapeutic elements of the Oxford House model.

Using Outdoor Adventures to Inspire Addiction Recovery

After treatment for substance abuse, whether by prison, hospital-based treatment programs, or therapeutic communities, many patients return to former high-risk environments or stressful family situations. Returning to these settings without a network of people to support abstinence increases chances of relapse (Jason, Olson & Foli, 2008). As a consequence, alcohol and substance use recidivism following treatment is high for both men and women (Montgomery et al., 1993). Alternative approaches need to be explored, such as abstinence-specific social support settings .

Participation in an Oxford House for 6 months or more, may offer a substance-free community that helps promote engagement in recovery-related activities. We do not show halfway houses, treatment programs, or rehabilitation facilities. One rule of an Oxford House is that the residents cannot drink alcohol or use drugs of any kind. Another rule is that the resident must pay equal share of house expenses. Instead of staff members to supervise and support recovering residents, the group works together to encourage and support each other’s sobriety.

Elected House Officers

Moreover, American Indians reported greater disharmony within their recovery residences than Caucasians, but there were no significant ethnic differences in length of stay in Oxford House. Our next large scale completed study received funding from the National Institute on Drug Abuse . This study examined abstinence-specific social support and successful abstention from substance use in a national sample of over 900 Oxford House residents. Results were quite positive; only 18.5% of the participants who left Oxford House during the course of the one-year study reported any substance use (Jason, Davis, Ferrari, & Anderson, 2007). Additionally, over the course of the study, increases were found in the percentage of their social networks who were abstainers or in recovery.