What Is a Sober Living House? Your Complete Guide

On average, the cost of living in a halfway house ranges around $200 per week. The development of the halfway house movement gained momentum throughout the 20th century, with increasing recognition of the importance of transitional support in sustaining long-term recovery. In response to the growing demand for these services, various organizations and initiatives were established to promote and advocate for halfway houses. This included the formation of the Halfway House Association in 1958, which aimed to standardize and improve the quality of transitional housing programs across the United States. This structured environment is built on mutual respect and self-discipline – keys to success in early recovery. Violating the halfway house placement rules may lead to penalties such as fines or eviction from the facility.

What Does Living in a Halfway House Involve?

Too often, audits are only conducted after journalists report on the ways specific halfway houses are failing residents, rather than government correctional agencies doing proper oversight on their own. One reason that we know more about federal than state-level halfway houses has to do with the contracting process. Often, halfway houses have rules regarding what can and cannot be brought into the facility during visits.

What to Know About Halfway Houses

Halfway houses 1, also referred to as sober living homes or recovery houses, are transitional living environments for those who are in recovery Halfway House vs Sober Living programs or other institutions. A halfway house is a sober living facility intended to be a transitional environment for recovering addicts. Unlike rehab, halfway houses provide structure and support without ongoing addiction treatment. Halfway houses offer a safe and drug-free environment for individuals in recovery to maintain sobriety. While residing here, residents receive extra treatment services, such as attending support groups and learning essential life skills to prepare for their future.

A.   BOP’s Statutory Authority For Federal Halfway House Placements

In several halfway houses, visitors can have video visits with the residents using their own mobile devices or computers. Children can also communicate with the resident without having to go to the facility physically. However, some halfway houses do not allow minors to conduct video visits. At halfway houses, there is a zero-tolerance policy regarding drugs and alcohol. Alcohol, drugs, and related paraphernalia are prohibited inside the home.

What to Know About the Sober Living House

In addition, they usually limit the amount of time people can stay and the number of people living at the house at any given time. Cases of COVID-19 are uniquely dangerous in halfway houses due to the work release component of many facilities. Private owners usually own these homes, but charities and businesses may also own sober living houses.

• Residents are responsible for keeping one another in check so that they won’t face these consequences.
• There are also some halfway houses that offer financial assistance to residents who cannot afford to pay the full cost of housing.
• Think of this as your GPS in the uncharted territories of life outside the sober living home.
• Halfway houses give inmates time to develop skills and adapt to life outside of prison.

• Here are some of the factors that may influence eligibility for, and placement in, a halfway house.
• For many incarcerated individuals, a halfway house is an important step in the rehabilitation process.
• Staying in a halfway house is dynamic and relevant to the fluctuating nature of recovery journeys.
• The residents at federal halfway houses are often expected to participate in various programs involving treatment, education, and employment.
• Many halfway houses also make attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) or other 12-step meetings mandatory.

They must get permission before leaving the halfway house, participate in required programs, and look for a job. The reduction and/or cancellation of federal halfway house placements began in the summer of 2017. The cancellations were prompted by the closure of 16 federal halfway houses which were previously under contract with the BOP.

Who Is Eligible to Live in a Halfway House?

At the federal level, they are operated by private contractors and managed by the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). If you or a loved one is struggling with alcohol or substance misuse, American Addiction Centers can help you find treatment and understand post-treatment options such as halfway houses. Contact one of our admissions navigators today to take the first steps toward recovery or to help identify recovery residences that can aid your recovery . This process involves learning about addiction treatment programs and understanding how they work. Halfway houses require commitment from those staying there and their family members, who are integral to these recovery programs.

Rules & Regulations for Living in a Sober Living House

• Additionally, there are sober living options for young adults that cater to the unique needs of younger individuals seeking recovery.
• Halfway houses are government-funded and serve as transitional housing for those who have finished their drug and alcohol treatment programs.
• Halfway houses designated for convicted criminals are sometimes called Community Corrections Centers or Community Correctional Centers.
• Items of clothing that may reveal underwear or other private areas are strictly forbidden.

You’re free to work or go to school while also being held accountable for your recovery. Also note that in some states (e.g., Texas), halfway houses only serve parolees.13 So it may be helpful to note how your state defines the term before you consider a halfway house as a recovery option. The amount of time you’ll stay at a halfway house varies, but most stays are between three to twelve months. This gives you enough time to get back on your feet, secure a steady job, and feel strong in your sobriety.

But it should be noted that regular monitoring, auditing, and data reporting should be the norm in the first place. Halfway houses are just as much a part of someone’s prison sentence as incarceration itself, but they are subject to much less scrutiny than prisons and jails. This lack of guidelines and oversight has ensured that people in halfway houses are not being aided in safely and effectively rebuilding their lives after serving time in jails and prisons. Most states do not release comprehensive policy on their contracted halfway houses. From states like Minnesota, we are able to see that the carceral conditions in federal RRCs are often mirrored in the state system. There are no specific rules regarding who can be moved to a halfway house or sentenced to spend their period of incarceration in one, instead of in jail or prison.