First, if you’re recently leaving a rehab stay or have just wrapped up an outpatient program, a sober living facility may provide you with the structure you need. In some instances, rehab facilities may refer a patient to a halfway house following treatment. Similarly, court-mandated treatment centers and/or the court may recommend or mandate that someone stay in a halfway house.12 Other times, residents seek out halfway houses of their own accord. Residency at a halfway house is frequently court-ordered following sentencing for drug or alcohol-related offenses.

RESOURCES

• While both sober living homes and halfway houses have many similarities there are also some important key differences to keep in mind when considering the best transitional home for you and your needs.
• Rules exist in both types of residences, but they’re enforced differently based on each facility’s specific goals and objectives for its residents’ recovery.
• Those who enter these environments have less exposure to triggers — something that causes a person to think about or use drugs and alcohol again.
• Sober living houses are often recommended for folks finishing up a drug rehabilitation program.Leaving the structure of a treatment program can be jarring, sometimes triggering a relapse.

A sober living house is a peer-managed home designed to help people maintain sobriety. This is achieved through required sobriety, recovery group attendance, and household participation. Those who live in these houses rent rooms indefinitely and live a life in accordance with their responsibilities, like work and school. After treatment has been completed, not everyone has a safe and supportive environment to return to as they continue their sobriety journey. Some people may have lost their homes either as a result of their addiction or while they were in treatment. For others, their homes may not be a safe place to be for one reason or another.

Sober and Halfway Houses: Key Differences

Some may have had negative experiences in treatment and therefore seek out alternative paths to recovery. Others may have relapsed after treatment and therefore feel the need for increased support for abstinence. However, they may want to avoid the level of commitment involved in reentering a formal treatment program. Sober living houses (SLHs) are alcohol and drug free living environments that offer peer support for recovery outside the context of treatment. After completing a rehabilitation program, finding the right post-rehab housing is a critical step in maintaining long-term sobriety. Two common housing options available for individuals in recovery are sober living homes and halfway houses.

Terms & Conditions

Sometimes, a person may be court-ordered to stay in a halfway house for a specified time. Since sober living homes are treatment-based, the duration of stay is fixed, and it can’t be reduced even if the patient exhibits outstanding improvement. Living without alcohol and drugs is easier if you do it with people who also suffer from substance abuse addiction.

Support for Me and My Family

Despite the advantages of halfway houses, there are limitations as well (Polcin & Henderson, 2008). After sober house vs halfway house some period of time, usually several months, residents are required to move out whether or not they feel ready for independent living. A second issue is financing the houses, which often includes government funding. Finally, halfway houses require residents to have completed or be involved in some type of formal treatment. For a variety of reasons some individuals may want to avoid formal treatment programs.

There are several types of recovery residences, the most common being a peer-run organization. These are typically located in single-family homes in stable communities whose residents hold each other accountable and promise to not use drugs or alcohol. A monitored location is one step up and has a house manager present who sets rules and procedures and holds individuals accountable. Maintaining sobriety can be a difficult process, however, a sober living house may provide you with the kind of structure and support you’ll need to maintain your sobriety. If you’re having a hard time adjusting to a sober life, reach out to a mental health professional who specializes in addiction and substance use.

• You can live at a halfway home if you’re freshly sober, have gone through detox, are willing to stay sober, and can commit to following the house rules.
• If you or someone you know has recently quit drinking alcohol and is now sober—congratulations, quitting alcohol can be a long and difficult process.
• Typically, there are rules about shared living spaces and individual room maintenance and chores, visitor hours, meal times, curfews and Twelve Step meeting requirements.
• When you’re looking for a sober recovery home, be sure to ask what’s included in the monthly rate and what is extra.

Some halfway houses have life skills training provided by social workers and other behavioral health staff. Sober living is just like it sounds, a place to stay where you’ll have a supportive community and can start your new life free from alcohol or other drugs. Residents in sober-living homes commit to abstaining from substance use while participating in outpatient programming or after completing inpatient drug rehab. Despite the enormous need for housing among the offender population, SLHs have been largely overlooked as a housing option for them (Polcin, 2006c). This is particularly concerning because our analysis of criminal justice offenders in SLHs showed alcohol and drug outcomes that were similar to residents who entered the houses voluntarily.

Going to a sober living house has been proven to support sobriety efforts, with results ranging from a decreased amount of relapses to long-term sobriety. Leaving the structure of the treatment program can be very disruptive to your sobriety, so treatment programs have strict schedules filled with counseling, group therapy, and participatory activities. Read on to learn about what a sober living house is, the history of sober living homes, types, who should go to one, and how you can find a sober living house. Sober living homes are either run privately or as a part of a continuum of care from an addiction treatment provider. While the two share many similarities there are also important differences to know when it comes to deciding which type of transitional home is best for you and your needs.

This could be particularly problematic in poor communities where residents have easy access to substances and people who use them. But if you’re recovering from drug or alcohol addiction, sober living homes can offer outpatient treatment like a partial hospitalization program to guide you in recovery. Understanding the key differences between sober living homes and halfway houses https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-create-meaning-in-life-best-ways-and-practices/ is essential for making an informed decision. Many individuals attempting to abstain from alcohol and drugs do not have access to appropriate housing that supports sustained recovery.

This access ensures that residents receive comprehensive support tailored to their individual recovery needs. The flexibility to utilize external resources allows residents to create a personalized recovery plan that includes a wide range of support services. The differences in structure and rules between sober living homes and halfway houses can significantly impact your recovery journey. Vanderburgh Sober Living (VSL) is a network of independently operated sober houses and recovery homes organized and supported by The Vanderburgh Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)(3) Charitable Foundation.