Halfway Houses How They Can Help People in Recovery

Other referral sources may include the criminal justice system, a mental health professional, Twelve Step meeting participants, or friends and family. Whatever the source of the referral, take a tour of the facility and talk to the people living there to decide if it’s the right fit for you. The cost varies by the type of sober-living environment and length of stay. Some sober-living homes have a base rate with additional costs for added services.

A direct sentence to a halfway house can be decided upon by a judge or prosecutor in lieu of prison time. Unfortunately, much less information exists about how many state-run or state-contracted halfway houses and halfway house residents there are. However, as we will discuss later, these numbers include facilities that serve primarily or entirely as residential halfway house activity correctional facilities (where people serve their entire sentences). This ambiguity means that pinning down how many people are in halfway houses each day – and how many specifically state-funded halfway houses there are – is nearly impossible. Halfway houses and sober living homes ease people from inpatient treatment to independent living.

Does a Halfway House Sound Like the Right Fit?

Not sticking with these time limits can attract penalties such as fines or removal from the residence. The saying “you can’t heal in the same environment that made you sick,” is poignant, especially for those who have checked into drug rehab. Design for Recovery empowers men struggling with addiction by providing 24/7 support, mentorship, and teaches them how to live healthy, fulfilling lives.

• However, as we will discuss later, these numbers include facilities that serve primarily or entirely as residential correctional facilities (where people serve their entire sentences).
• Additional rules may include curfews as well as required attendance and participation in self-help, 12-step, or peer support groups and house meetings.
• American Addiction Centers (AAC) is committed to delivering original, truthful, accurate, unbiased, and medically current information.
• Most halfway houses accommodate residents until they have attained at least six to 12 months of sobriety, and sometimes longer.
• It can provide a sober and supportive environment where residents can continue solidifying healthy habits, lifestyle changes, and coping mechanisms that were learned in addiction treatment.
• They aren’t funded by state or local government, but they may be owned and operated by charitable organizations.

Subsequent audits identified a number of major staffing issues, including high turnover rates and misconduct. This pattern of inadequate staffing extends to CEC halfway houses in California, where a former facility director cited inadequate training and earnings barely above minimum wage. The clinical director of the California facility, responsible for resident health, did not possess a medical degree, or even a college degree. Halfway houses provide more freedom to residents than inpatient treatment programs. However, they still offer more structure and a larger support system than independent living. A halfway house is a living facility where people go as a part of their drug rehab aftercare.

Other Treatment Options for Addiction

They may be connected with addiction treatment facilities to offer a full continuum of care and seamless transition between rehab and the halfway house. There are various options to consider when looking for a drug-free living environment. However, there are significant differences between halfway houses, sober homes, and rehab centers.

In this understanding place, you can practice skills you have learned in treatment, but you’ll still have some protection from many of the stressors of everyday life. If these services are not provided on site, the halfway house may offer transportation to these services. Some homes may offer assistance with transportation to other important appointments or meetings. House rules may require participation in outpatient addiction treatment and community service. When you live in a socially supportive environment such as a halfway house, you get the opportunity to build on healthy lifestyle changes as you slowly integrate back into everyday life. You can safely take steps toward going back to work and being involved in the community, knowing you have this supportive environment to lean on when you face triggers.

Graduate School of Addiction Studies

Visitation at a halfway house is subject to strict rules that limit the types of objects that may be brought inside the house. Before a visitor is allowed in, the house will normally inspect their belongings. Moreover, there is a limit on the number of visitors a resident is allowed to have at a given facility. Family members, close friends, and legal counsel are allowed to visit.

• Halfway houses are usually located in residential areas, and occasionally, neighboring homes and businesses are opposed to the idea of the halfway house being in their community.
• 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.
• Finding employment while residing at the facility forms another essential rule at most homes because it fosters independence and accountability – both vital aspects of sustainable recovery.
• Oceanfront Recovery operates a successful and respected sober living program and can guide you or a loved one through the benefits as recovery becomes more and more of a reality.
• A minimum stay of three months is recommended, but many benefit from a longer stay for sustained sobriety.

If a person comes from a correctional facility, they can be court-mandated to live in a halfway house for a predetermined amount of time. Because of this, halfway houses can be used by the homeless or people coming out of incarceration. They offer a middle step for people who are committed to sober living but aren’t ready to live independently.

Apply for our Sober Living

Before making plans to visit a loved one, confirming this information with the staff is a good idea since halfway houses have different rules. Sober living homes are not for everyone, but if you think it might be right for you or a loved one, reach out to your doctor or therapist to see if they’re able to recommend one for you. If you attend 12-step or other recovery meetings, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ you can ask other members of your group for recommendations as well. If you still haven’t been able to get recommendations, do a quick Google search to read reviews and find halfway houses in your area. According to research published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, halfway houses and sober homes are highly effective in the ongoing treatment of substance use disorder.