Oxford Houses provide a safe, supportive, and clean environment for people who are serious about staying in recovery. Some people live in an Oxford House for the first few years of their recovery what is the difference between a halfway house and a sober house because they truly enjoy the lifestyle. The organization promotes self-reliance and democracy within the house. You typically share a room with at least one other person, maybe more.

The main difference between a halfway house and a three-quarter house is the structure of the house. A three-quarter house is much, much less structured than a halfway house. People who live in a three-quarter house have proven that they can stay clean for a good chunk of time and have been working a program of recovery for awhile. Those in a three-quarter house require almost no supervision and a lot less structure than those who are living in a halfway house.

Types of Transitional Living

Halfway houses have more structure in regards to house rules, attendance of twelve-step meetings and stricter guidelines to finding employment and housing among other factors. Other features seen with three-quarter houses are later or no curfews, fewer drug tests, and less supervision in comparison to halfway houses. Three-quarter houses can be seen as a final step to independent living. Recovery and sober living homes can empower individuals to get the help they need, and the aftercare required to complete rehabilitation.

what is the difference between a halfway house and a sober house

The recovery residence in this case simply provides a safe space for them to live as they plant deeper roots and grow more grounded in their positive lifestyle choices. Costs are generally more affordable than other types of recovery programs. But now we are finding that many of these halfway houses are serving people in recovery or those who are seeking a supportive place for sober living. An Oxford house is also a housing program designed to support people committed to a sober lifestyle. However, there are many differences between an Oxford House and a Halfway House.

Difference Between a Sober Living House And Halfway House

Other regulations or details will vary based on the individual house, such as specific times for curfew or alcohol/drug testing frequency. One rule of an Oxford House is that the residents cannot drink alcohol or use drugs of any kind. Another rule is that the resident must pay equal share of house expenses. Instead of staff members to supervise and support recovering residents, the group works together to encourage and support each other’s sobriety.

what is the difference between a halfway house and a sober house

Other halfway houses serve as the halfway point for convicted criminals to reintegrate into society but also have strict monitoring services. Halfway houses are more commonly for those in the beginning stages of recovery from alcoholism and addiction. If you are ready to pursue a life in sobriety but aren’t quite ready to transition to life at home, halfway houses are a wonderful option. All of the individuals that live in a sober living facility are new to addiction recovery. Thus, it’s usually a requirement within sober living homes for residents to abstain from alcohol or drugs while living there. This helps sober living home residents get a break from the temptations to abuse substances that they must constantly face while functioning in society.

What is a Three-Quarters House?

Finally, rehab is not a prerequisite requirement to sign up for a sober home, but residents of halfway houses must have completed rehab before their stay. Halfway houses have a time limit of 12 months maximum residency, which is different from sober homes’ time limit. Halfway houses are funded by the government and offer less privacy but more structure than alternative sober living communities. As would be expected, Level 3 recovery residences provide more structure than Level 2, with a greater amount of mandatory involvement in programs. Residents learn important life skills, grow in their physical health and participate in group counseling.

  • How long you stay depends on the sober-living facility and your progress in recovery.
  • Other names include dry houses, community-based residential facilities, recovery residences, transitional living environments, residential re-entry centers, or community release centers.
  • Residents must still see their therapist, doctor, or treatment center to stay on track with their treatment plan.
  • Back then, sober living homes acted as “dry” hotels that didn’t allow their residents to consume alcohol.

Being farther away from the environment that initially drove an addiction can help individuals avoid relapse. Someone’s family and friends could become a barrier to recovery, or may even trigger relapse. Conversely, having a change of scenery and being safely away from temptation can facilitate faster healing.

The differences between sober living houses or halfway houses and therapeutic communities are significant.

A halfway house is a residential facility serving multiple groups of people who need rehab or want to remain sober. Some are meant for people transitioning from prison life or jail, others use it for individuals with a chronic mental illness, and others are house individuals who aim towards sober living. A halfway house is a structured, recovery-supportive, temporary living arrangement for someone stepping down from the inpatient level of care. It is meant to help with the transition back to the community, but this time, as someone in recovery, not active addition.

There is no shortage of sober living homes in most areas of the United States. The Sober Living Home movement in California, which started in the 1970s, played a major role in growing the application of sober living homes. Today, halfway houses are still used by state correctional systems. Millions of parolees have benefited from the structure, group elements, and fundamental aspects of halfway houses.