What is an Oxford House? Oxford House Recovery Homes

We should spread the word about Oxford House, but be wary of individuals who place their own personalities before the principles that made Oxford House work. Oxford Houses are dedicated to recovery and group support; not individual gain. Some operate for several years and then, because of expiration of a lease, dissatisfaction with the facilities, or simply the finding of a better location, the members of a particular House will move into a new location. Other Houses often help that type of move as well as the brand new House. In both cases, financial assistance is in the form of a loan having a pay back schedule, not to exceed one year, defined up front.

• Some operate for several years and then, because of expiration of a lease, dissatisfaction with the facilities, or simply the finding of a better location, the members of a particular House will move into a new location.
• In both cases, financial assistance is in the form of a loan having a pay back schedule, not to exceed one year, defined up front.
• The dissatisfaction was in part the realization that we were shirking responsibility for our own lives and in part a resentment of authority.
• An Oxford House member can stay as long as they like, provided they stay drug and alcohol free, are not disruptive, and pay their share of house expenses.

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Oxford House, Inc. acts as the coordinating body for providing charters for the opening of new 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. When we stopped drinking, we began to realize that in order to stay stopped, our lives would need to change.

Here’s how to apply.

At any given time there are about 2,000 Oxford House residents who have served in the military. During the course of a year more than 4,000 veterans will live in an Oxford House. Some houses are all veterans but primarily veterans are integrated into the normal Oxford House population. Oxford House will not charter a house with fewer than six individuals because experience has shown that it takes at least six individuals to form an effective group. Today Oxford House has more than 20,000 residents at more than 3,500 homes across 47 states and several foreign countries.

Each Oxford House follows three simple rules.

• Some are able to keep from drinking in spite of the loneliness with which they were faced.
• In those situations, it is not uncommon for the Oxford House members, at a meeting, to strongly suggest that a fellow member seek professional help.
• When we stopped drinking, we began to realize that in order to stay stopped, our lives would need to change.
• Too often, newly recovering alcoholics and drug addicts are faced with the necessity of living alone and of relying solely on contacts with Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous to stay sober.
• It also acts as the coordinating body to help individual houses to organize mutually supportive chapters.
• Like other sober living homes, people in Oxford Houses come and go.

It continues to stand the test of time as a leading model in sober living. Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff. The Oxford House concept is a sound one, based on sound principles, and has demonstrated its worth with an established track record.

They called their experiment in group living and joint sobriety Oxford House. It was the first step in a nationwide movement, now almost 50 years old, that has been credited with helping thousands of people overcome addiction and lead productive lives. I just had to follow the rules, get along with everyone, and work on my recovery. It took me awhile to get used to being with a group of guys like myself. But together we have learned to manage and maintain the house and interact as a family. Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following Sober living house a 28-day rehabilitation program or at least a 5 to 10 day detoxification program.

The Oxford House Model provides a community based, supportive, and sober living environment.

An underlying principle of Oxford House is that each individual member has the ability to be responsible oxford house for himself. Living within an Oxford House provides both the opportunity and motivation for all residents to regularly attend AA and/or NA meetings. The example of Oxford House members going to AA or NA meetings on their own is contagious. By running Oxford House on a democratic basis, members of Oxford House become able to accept the authority of the group because the group is a peer group. Each member has an equal voice in the group and each has an opportunity to relearn responsibility and to accept decisions once they are made. The OHI field staff travel to Oxford Houses, Chapters, and Associations to provide technical assistance and training, assist with expansion, and network in the community.

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The House is theirs and in no way is it part of any other organization. The rent that is charged the members is determined by the members themselves in a democratic fashion. The rules which govern the house are for the most part also made by those who live in a particular Oxford House Such autonomy is essential for the Oxford House system to work.

What is the Model?

All they need to do is to find a house to rent in the name of the Group, and apply to Oxford House, Inc., for a charter. Our network of houses is only as strong as the community support we receive and the involvement of current and former members. The Oxford House Model provides a unique and successful system of operations that differs from traditional sober living homes and halfway houses. The Oxford House Model provides community based, supportive, and sober living environment. Oxford House, Inc. is a separate nonprofit organization that provides technical assistance and training to the network of houses to help expand the Oxford House Model.

(Since 1989, many new Oxford Houses have taken advantage of state revolving loan programs. Misguided leaders can create dependency and usurp self-responsibility. Oxford House should rely on democratically-chosen leaders, but the leaders must always be but trusted servants. To discourage an excessive dependence on leaders, it is a principle of Oxford House that no member should serve in the same office for a continuous period of longer than six months. We’ll show you how Oxford Houses work together to form a self-supporting network of houses. Learn what makes Oxford House stand out as a unique model for recovery housing.