Our research examined the nature and outcomes of the Oxford House model of substance abuse recovery. We worked with the needs of diverse groups, including ex-offenders, minority groups including Native Americans, and women and women with children. Unfortunately, there have not been any outcome studies comparing TCs with Oxford Houses, although the first author currently has a NIDA funded study that is exploring this issue. There is considerable evidence for the effectiveness of TCs (DeLeon, & Rosenthal, 1989). Substantial reductions in recidivism rates have been found when in-prison Therapeutic Communities (TCs) are combined with community transition programs (Hiller, Knight, & Simpson, 1999; Wexler et al., 1996). Unfortunately, these TC programs often create a financial burden on society, and are not available to all that need them.

  • You’ll also see addresses, contact information, and whether a house has a vacancy.
  • As our recovery progressed, the supervision and dependency on a half-way house created dissatisfaction.
  • Oxford is a mixed-gender community made up of seven small apartment houses.
  • Some of us had lived for a time in alcoholic and drug rehabilitation facilities.

Only two individuals were familiar with Oxford House prior to entering residential treatment; the others had never heard about the program. Participants decided to move to an Oxford House based on information they received from counselors and peers indicating that Oxford House would facilitate their recovery. Prior to entering Oxford House, participants https://ecosoberhouse.com/ were concerned that House policies would be similar to those of half-way houses they had experienced (i.e., too restrictive). Kim, Davis, Jason, and Ferrari (2006) examined the impact of relationships with parents, significant others, children, friends and co-workers on substance use and recovery among this national sample of Oxford House residents.

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Abstinence-specific social support may be critical to facilitating abstinence among persons with substance use disorders. Such social support is often acquired and utilized through participation in mutual-help groups (Humphreys, Mankowski, Moos, & Finney, 1999), where individuals are likely to develop peer networks consisting of abstainers and others in recovery. Investment in abstinence-specific social support was reported to be one of the best post-treatment prognostic indicators of recovery (Longabaugh et al., 1995; Zywiak, Longabaugh & Wirtz, 2002). Limited research is also available comparing Oxford Houses versus more traditional recovery homes, which also tend to have supervising staff and less democratic self-governing principles. This study did not provide outcome data regarding residents’ experiences living in these recovery communities.

  • During early recovery for alcoholism and drug addiction, some members had to leave an institution in order to make room for an alcoholic or drug addict just beginning the recovery process.
  • Homes that allow for 8 or more residents may reduce the cost per person and offer more opportunities to exchange positive social support, thus, it was predicted that larger Oxford Houses would exhibit improved outcomes compared to smaller homes.
  • Oxford House is the largest network of sober living houses anywhere, with houses in all major areas of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
  • Oxford House Inc., is a non-profit, tax exempt, publicly supported corporation which acts as a umbrella organization for the national network of Oxford Houses.

It also acts as the coordinating body to help individual houses to organize mutually supportive chapters. Through chapters individual houses are able to share their experience, strength and hope with each other to assure compliance with the Oxford House concept and its respected standardized system of operations. The members of an Oxford House assume full responsibility for the operation of the House.

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Only 6% of these costs were for general and administrative costs of Oxford House, Inc. During 2007, the inhabitants of Oxford Houses expended approximately $47,814,156 to pay the operational expenses of the houses. If the Oxford Houses had been traditional, fully staffed halfway houses, the cost to taxpayers would have been $224,388,000 (Oxford House Inc., 2007). Half the individuals interviewed also had concerns about being the only Hispanic/Latino House member. Despite their initial concerns, participants reported overwhelmingly positive experiences in Oxford House, with the majority of interviewees indicating that they “blended into the house” within their first few weeks.

Are Oxford houses expensive?

Housing affordability

Median house prices across property types in Oxford for the year ending September 2022 and the change since the previous year were the following: Detached: £815,000 (-5.8%) Semi-detached: £472,500 (+8.0%) Terraced: £455,000 (+1.1%)

Seventy-five of these participants were randomly assigned to live in an Oxford House, while the other half were randomly assigned to receive standard, traditional aftercare services. Other Recovery Residences have significantly more accountability and structure. The owner or paid staff may be involved in such a way that they check on the house and administer the drug tests.

What is Oxford House?

These different social networks are able to provide support for abstinence to African Americans. An Oxford house is also a housing program designed to support people committed to a sober oxford house sober living lifestyle. However, there are many differences between an Oxford House and a Halfway House. A major difference is that an Oxford house does not include supervisors or paid staff.

what is an oxford house

It also offers the beginning stages of independent living along with the atmosphere that helps enable recovery. Oxford House is a self-run, self-supported recovery house program for individuals recovering from a Substance Use Disorder (SUD), including an Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). We also designed a study to assess the types of contributions that Oxford House residents report making to their neighborhoods and communities.

They found that children provided the only type of relationship that was able to affect both substance use and recovery in a positive direction. D’Arlach, Olson, Jason, and Ferrari (2006) found that the children residents had a positive effect on the women’s recovery, and this positive effect was identical for both mothers and non-mothers. It is possible that these positive effects are due to the fact that having children present leads to increased responsibility among all House residents, aiding in recovery.

what is an oxford house

After treatment for substance abuse, whether by prison, hospital-based treatment programs, or therapeutic communities, many patients return to former high-risk environments or stressful family situations. Returning to these settings without a network of people to support abstinence increases chances of relapse (Jason, Olson & Foli, 2008). As a consequence, alcohol and substance use recidivism following treatment is high for both men and women (Montgomery et al., 1993).