What Is an Oxford House and How Is It Different?

What Is an Oxford House and How Is It Different?

An Oxford House is a peer-run sober living home where residents vote on new members and manage the house democratically, with no professional staff or time limits.

Oxford Houses are the most common type of sober living home in the United States. According to Riverhouse Recovery, they started in 1975 in Silver Spring, Maryland. What makes them different? You're in complete control.

Here's how it works. Each house has 8 to 15 same-gender residents. New members need an 80 percent vote of approval from current residents, and residents elect house officers every six months. The house manager is a resident in recovery, chosen by the group-no professional staff, no time limit.

This is Level 1 sober living under NARR standards, the least structured option available. You practice independence with communal support. The average stay is one year, though many remain for three years or more.

The results speak for themselves. A study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that after two years, Oxford House residents were less likely to abuse alcohol or drugs, had higher average income, and were less likely to be incarcerated compared to those in outpatient or self-help programs only.

If you're ready to take responsibility for your recovery alongside others doing the same, Oxford House might be exactly what you need.

Sources

• DrugRehab.com
• Riverhouse Recovery
• STR Behavioral Health blog
• American Addiction Centers
• American Journal of Public Health study referenced in STR Behavioral Health blog