“SLH’s are alcohol and drug-free living environments for individuals attempting to maintain abstinence from alcohol and drugs (Wittman, 1993). They offer no formal treatment but either mandate or strongly encourage attendance at 12-step groups. Level 4 recovery residences combine community living, life skill education and clinical treatment. They are usually linked to some kind of clinical facility for referrals and increased involvement of mental health and rehabilitation professionals. This bracket of residential care is the most costly, however, it is also the only category that qualifies for insurance assistance. Sober living homes can also be a house that rents out rooms under the guise of being a “sober living home,” these are places to watch out for.

• You get to choose the period or the days to leave, but usually, the length of stay is between 3 to 12 months, which offers ample time to regain your security in terms of employment and sobriety.
• Having a solid support system and a safe living environment allows residents to grow, and to get the accountability they need to sustain sobriety.
• It is meant to help with the transition back to the community, but this time, as someone in recovery, not active addition.
• Sober living homes offer more privacy and professional support than halfway houses.
• Chris Carberg is a visionary digital entrepreneur, the founder of AddictionHelp.com, and a long-time recovering addict from prescription opioids, sedatives, and alcohol.
• Our center offers aftercare planning services as well as alumni activities to ensure that former patients can remain supported and active long-term in their newfound sober lifestyle.
• We also include supervised, short-term housing to provide support for newly sober individuals.

There is usually some kind of in-house therapy program offered and sometimes required. With low costs similar to the Level 1 residence, this monitored recovery model is an optimal choice for people seeking to reap the benefits of safe, sober communal living while maintaining a budget. Riviera is a health and wellness community that sets its goals around wellness, independence, and community. We have a team of experienced local addiction consultants who help you ease back into the community from a sober living facility. We offer multiple services, including weekly mentor meetings, nutrition meetings, 24/7 rehab consulting staff, food management systems, random drug testing, weekly social activities, and more. Sober living homes have staff members responsible for enforcing these rules to ensure the environment is free of drugs and the individuals are not tempted to relapse.

What is the difference between Sober Living and Halfway Houses?

It’s important to carefully evaluate the options and choose the living arrangement to provide the most support and stability for long-term recovery. Sober living homes, sober houses, and recovery residences are all similarly named. They provide aftercare for people who have completed addiction treatment. They both want to achieve full independence after demonstrating consistent sobriety.

Halfway houses serve as the halfway point between an institution and independent society, with residents usually coming from either correctional or inpatient treatment facilities. Take a look at the halfway houses in your area by using the SAMHSA what is the difference between a halfway house and a sober house program locator. Every halfway house will have its own set of house rules, but these house rules tend to be relatively common amongst halfway homes. Aftercare planning is one of the most important components of a person’s inpatient stay.

Addiction and Mental Health Resources

Most likely, insurance will not cover this type of housing, because it is not considered a mental health treatment center. Since sober living homes are often financially independent, they usually do not accept insurance. Residents’ insurance may, however, help cover addiction treatments – like therapy. Inpatient rehab centers can also provide on-site detox services to aid the recovering addict through the early stages of acute withdrawals. Alternatively, halfway homes and sober living homes require individuals to have already completed detox. Halfway houses provide people in recovery with an alcohol and drug-free environment to continue to focus on their early sobriety.

Be sure to do research and contact any potential living environment with questions for committing to a choice. The more comfortable a person in in their living situation, the better the transition into a healthy lifestyle. In Pennsylvania, licensed halfway houses follow particular rules and systems approved by the state’s Department of Drug and Alcohol programs. As a result, those who have previously achieved some level of sobriety are more likely to succeed in a halfway home than those who are just starting out in recovery. 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. Beginning in the 1830s, religious organizations began to build “dry” hotels where guests were compelled to abstain from using alcohol.

What is an Oxford House?

Sober living homes do not specify a certain time limit for residency. They may require regular or random sobriety testing such as breathalyzers and drug screening as it is a community requirement that residents remain sober. Because halfway houses are state-funded, residents must be on Medicaid in order to reside there.

Sober living can be seen as the final transition point between inpatient care and fully integrating back into normal life. It’s easy to confuse sober living houses with rehab centers or halfway houses, but there are some stark differences among them. Rehab centers offer intensive recovery programs that help residents overcome addictions by following strict rules and regulations.

Unlike halfway houses, sober living homes do not usually need residents to have served time in prison. They may also not force housemates to participate in treatment regimens while they are living there. Another significant difference — and benefit — is that sober living homes do not have a residency time limit. As well, residents of sober living homes may stay as long as they need to, as long as they adhere to the house rules, such as attendance at a certain number of weekly meetings.