What is an Oxford House? Oxford House Recovery Homes

By: pwsbuilder | Tags: | Comments: 0 | September 1st, 2023

An underlying principle of Oxford House is that each individual member has the ability to be responsible 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. At the Oxford House World Convention held annually, Oxford Houses throughout the country vote for representatives to the World Council. Other members were asked to leave half-way houses in order to make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a half-way house. During our drinking and drug use years, and even before, many of us found it difficult to accept authority.

Are You Ready for Recovery?

• 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.
• Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a 28-day rehabilitation program or at least a 5 to 10 day detoxification program.
• 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 the new house agree to utilize the Oxford House Model’s system of operations and Oxford House, Inc. issues a no-cost charter.

Many individuals in society are able to abide by the strict letter of any rule, regulation , or law. Alcoholics and drug addicts seem to have a tendency to test and retest the validity of any real, potential, or imagined restriction on their behavior. Oxford House grew out of the need for many of us to begin a new life without fear of backsliding because of loneliness or renewed dependency on former drinking companions. Throughout its tradition, Oxford House has combined the concepts of self-support and responsibility with a fellowship having the common purpose of continued and comfortable sobriety.

How do Oxford House residents help those in the community?

• A recovering individual can live in an Oxford House for as long as he or she does not drink alcohol, does not use drugs, and pays an equal share of the house expenses.
• Every member has an equal vote regardless of how long they’ve been there.
• Within an Oxford House group, it is not unusual to find some members who have problems which cannot be dealt with by the group.
• The average stay is about a year, but many residents stay three, four, or more years.

Slowly but surely, members learn or relearn values and responsible behavior. 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. Any recovering alcoholic or drug addict can apply to get into any Oxford House by filling out an application and being interviewed by the existing members of the House. The application is then considered by the membership of the House and if 80% of the members approve, the applicant is accepted and moves in. If an applicant does not get voted into one house they should try another house in the area.

• Others recognized that the success of Oxford House made it clear that there would be more and more houses and there was no turning back the clock.
• Individuals living in each of the Oxford Houses have also been responsible for starting many new groups of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous having meetings near an Oxford House.
• Every opportunity should be given to a member who needs professional help to see that he obtains it.
• The article discusses a challenge in Columbia Heights related to zoning regulations that may threaten the program citywide.
• In Oxford House, each member equally shares the responsibility for the running of the House and upholding the Oxford House tradition.

Oxford House Recovery Homes

For those of us who had been in institutions or half-way houses, resentments against authority were common. When we stopped drinking, we began to realize that in order to stay stopped, our lives would need to change. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous provided a framework for us to change physically, mentally, and spiritually. The degree oxford house traditions to which we were able to successfully change our lives had a direct relationship to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.

Each Oxford https://ecosoberhouse.com/ House is an ordinary single-family house with two bathrooms and four or more bedrooms. Ideally several of the bedrooms are large enough for two twin beds so that newcomers, in particular, are able to have a roommate. This discourages isolation and helps the newcomer to learn or relearn socialization to get the full benefit of recovering individuals helping each other to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse. Those who have benefited from an Oxford House have acquired enthusiasm for the Oxford House concept. In their enthusiasm, they have been anxious to share Oxford House with any recovering alcoholics and drug addicts who want to establish an Oxford House in their community.

Why Do People Choose to Live in an Oxford House?

Chapters have become the front-line building blocks of quality control and mutual assistance for the continued success of all Oxford Houses. Experience has shown that both the individual houses and Oxford House, Inc. as a whole are more likely to succeed and last if every house belongs to a chapter. The Oxford House concept is a sound one, based on sound principles, and has demonstrated its worth with an established track record. 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. Starting new Houses through the mutual assistance of existing Oxford Houses is a tradition because each House was started with the help of existing Houses and tends to pass on to others that which they received.

• The Chapter is also the place where individuals expand their network of sober friends as Chapters host all kinds of social events that bring their community together.
• Yes, there are Oxford Houses in Canada, Australia and Ghana with active interest in England, Bulgaria and other countries.
• It is not easy to spread the word of a new concept or an old concept with a new twist.
• 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.
• However, the members of Oxford House have found only by being active in AA and/or NA have they found comfortable, long-term sobriety — for themselves and the Oxford House in which they live.

There are over 3,500 Oxford Houses across the United States

Oxford House, Inc. is a separate nonprofit organization that provides support and training to the network of houses to help expand the Oxford House Model. There are over 3500 self-sustaining Oxford Houses in the United States and more than 24,000 individuals in recovery living in these houses at any one time during the year. No member of an Oxford House is ever asked to leave without cause — a dismissal vote by the membership because of drinking, drug use, or disruptive behavior. Oxford House residents actively contribute to their communities, dedicating an average of 10 hours a month to neighborhood involvement. The majority of participants were involved in activities around their recovery. Key findings include 63% of residents involved in mentoring others in recovery, 44% running support groups, and 56% involved in educating the community about Oxford House.

Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the residents who elect officers to serve for terms of six months. In this respect, they are similar to a college fraternity, sorority, or a small New England town. Officers have fixed terms of office to avoid bossism or corruption of egalitarian democracy. Every member has an equal vote regardless of how long they’ve been there. Oxford House should remain forever non-professional, although individual members may be encouraged to utilize outside professionals whenever such utilization is likely to enhance recovery from alcoholism. Each Oxford House should be financially self-supporting although financially secure houses may, with approval or encouragement of Oxford House, Inc., provide new or financially needy houses a loan for a term not to exceed one year.

Many of us soon learned, however, that living alone or living among our old drinking companions made it more difficult to practice the principles necessary for continued sobriety. An Oxford House member can stay as long as they like, provided they stay drug and alcohol free and pay their share of house expenses. The charter of each Oxford House requires that an Oxford House meet certain minimum requirements of Oxford House, Inc.