Additionally, mutual help, social support, a sober living environment, and accountability emerged as strongly-endorsed therapeutic elements of the Oxford House model. Finally, consistent with a broad conceptualization of recovery, residents reported that living in Oxford House helped them remain sober but also facilitated the development of life skills and a new sense of purpose along with increased self-esteem. In 2007, the Oxford House organization received about $1.6 million in grants from state and local governments to pay outreach workers to develop and maintain networks of individual Oxford Houses in nine States and the District of Columbia. Only 6% of these costs were for general and administrative costs of Oxford House, Inc.
- Sharing experiences and coping strategies creates a robust network that what is alcoholism significantly enhances recovery outcomes.
- In this respect, they are similar to a college fraternity, sorority, or a small New England town.
- They are designed to reduce the risk of relapse or recidivism by offering continued support and supervision.
- Together, these individuals develop each Oxford House into a place to learn to live a responsible life without the use of alcohol and drugs.
Endorphins: Definition, Functions, Production, Release, Role in Addiction and Recovery
Further research with multiple assessment intervals and other outcomes including economic factors and community perceptions is needed to better understand the effectiveness of Oxford House model within other cultural contexts such as the UK. Likewise, clients themselves have expressed abstinence related goals for their treatment (McKeganey et al., 2004). Best et al. (2010) described growing “recovery activity in local communities that is rich and diverse and that is progressing irrespective of funding support or research endorsement,” (p. 266). Grassroots recovery niches such as “Recovery Is Out There” (RIOT) in Burton, SMART Recovery UK, and a contingency of AA and NA support groups among others can be what is an oxford house found throughout the UK (White, 2011). Despite these recovery movements and the recent shift in national policy, government services are still primarily evaluated in terms of increasing and maintaining the numbers of clients in substitution treatments (Best et al.). It is possible that the Oxford House model could help address some of these gaps in aftercare services while also strengthening community support and recovery resources by serving as a bridge between treatment providers, 12-step groups, and the larger community.
Great! Let’s look at the broader Oxford House network.
The seven participants of the study represented 100% of the individuals who had resided in the House when it opened in July 2011. Participants were engaged in a process of informed consent, verbally provided their informed consent via Skype, and were provided electronic copies of the consent form. Setting up an Oxford House involves several steps, starting with identifying a suitable property and gathering a group of committed individuals ready to embark on this recovery journey together. An essential part of establishing a new house is ensuring that all potential residents are aligned with the core principles and ready to uphold them. Admission typically requires a demonstrated commitment to sobriety and a willingness to participate in the community structure.
We provide a safe, affordable living environment that is supportive of individuals with substance use disorder.
But together we have learned to manage and maintain the house and interact as a family. Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff to provide technical assistance to the network of houses to foster the expansion of the Oxford House Model. Oxford House Placement Services is a non-profit referral agency founded to help recovering individuals find placements in Oxford Houses in their locality. We maintain a toll free hotline reporting towns and phone numbers of Oxford Houses with vacancies.
Levels of Care
“I was pretty confused….I didn’t know anything about AA or Oxford House, I knew very little …if I’d moved back to the house I was at, I would have gotten drunk, probably death within short time. “Element of fear in moving out and into Oxford House because had lived there such a long time…Felt uncomfortable about it but knew it was the best thing for my sobriety” (Participant 1). It received a boost after Mr. Molloy successfully lobbied for passage of the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988, which established a fund to help provide start-up loans for groups opening residential recovery locations like those of Oxford House. Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the residents who elect officers to serve for terms of six months. The average stay is about a year, but many members stay three, four, Twelve-step program or more years. Our Sober Living Homes are beautifully maintained, in safe neighborhoods in New Jersey.
The majority of UK Oxford House residents were unemployed, contrary to what has been found in Oxford House studies in the US (Jason et al., 2007; Jason & Ferrari, 2010). A major tenet of the Oxford House model is that residents who are unemployed and able to work must be actively job searching for a certain number of hours a day (Oxford House Inc., 2011). There is a strong emphasis on obtaining and maintaining employment so that each resident contributes a fair share of rent. One longitudinal study of Oxford House in the United States showed that employment at six months was an important predictor of abstinence at two years (Jason et al., 2006). It is not surprising, given this context, that the majority of residents received some form of government benefit or disability compensation, and thus were unemployed.
What is the Model?
Specific homes may have additional requirements related to criminal history, financial status, or the stage of recovery. The Oxford House model, distinct from the Oxford Group, focuses on self-supported and democratically run residences, providing a safe space for recovering individuals to support each other in maintaining sobriety. While Oxford Houses operate independently of AA, they recognize the importance of active participation in AA or Narcotics Anonymous as vital to recovery. The core principles of Oxford Houses include autonomy except in matters affecting other houses or Oxford House, Inc. as a whole, financial self-support, and non-professionalism in management while encouraging members to seek professional help when necessary.
The easiest way to find an Oxford House is to use our vacancy locator at oxfordvacancies.com. Once you find a house that has a vacancy, you can call the contact person to set up an interview. Alternatively, you can apply online and your information will be sent to all of the Oxford Houses in your area that have an opening. View and download the latest House and Chapter Manuals, along with other forms used to conduct weekly house meetings. Rent your home as an Oxford House and become a vital part in our mission to save lives.
