To begin the admission process, you must fill out an Oxford House application. Once that’s received by the house, you’ll be interviewed by the house members. After the interview, the house members will decide if you’ll be allowed to move in by taking a vote. The application is then considered by the membership of the House and if there is a vacancy and if 80% of the members approve, the applicant is accepted and moves in.
- 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.
- In most communities, the members of those organizations help Oxford Houses get started and report any charger compliance problems with respect to a particular house.
- All too often, an abrupt transition from a protected environment to an environment which places considerable glamour on the use of alcohol and drugs causes a return to alcoholic drinking or addictive drug use.
- Be honest and straight-forward when sharing the Oxford House concept with others.
- The situation should be avoided whereby certain individuals will begin to equate their persuasive qualities with the Oxford House concept.
Oxford House Rules
The average length of jail time is about one year, with a range of few days to more than ten years. This is understandable since as many as 80% of the oxford house current jail/prison population are alcoholics and drug addicts. Oxford Houses seem to stop the recycling in and out of jail or treatment facilities. Yes, there are Oxford Houses in Canada, Australia and Ghana with active interest in England, Bulgaria and other countries. Alcoholism and drug addiction are international problems and Oxford Houses can provide recovering individuals the opportunity to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse.
- Most homes house between eight and 15 members, with most staying about a year.
- Yes, the prospective residents of the House can find a suitable house, rent it, put up the security deposit and pay the first month’s rent themselves.
- A recovering individual can live in an Oxford House for as long as he or she does not drink alcohol, does not use illicit drugs, and pays an equal share of the house expenses.
Are You Ready for Recovery?
Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a rehabilitation program, incarceration, or at least a detoxification program. For a couple of months in 1975, he found himself living on the streets and begging strangers for money before he entered a rehabilitation program. He moved to a county-run halfway house in Silver Spring, MD, to recover but soon learned that the facility was about to close. One can only be dismissed from an Oxford House because of drinking, using drugs, non-payment of rent, or disruptive behavior. Every opportunity should be given to a member who needs professional help to see that he obtains it. 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.
Who Starts and Manages Oxford Houses?
Electing members to staggered three-year terms of office assures continuity of the 12-member World Council. While Oxford House, Inc. has the sole authority to grant Oxford House charters, the World Council acts as an advisory council to the board. This assures integrity and correct application of the Oxford House system of operations as documented in the Oxford House Manual© and Oxford House Chapter Manual©.
Oxford Houses work because they are:
- In fact, Oxford Houses must be treated the same as ordinary families.
- All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds.
- While Oxford House is not affiliated with AA or NA, its members realize that recovery Substance Use Disorder can only be assured by the changing of their lifestyle through full participation in AA and NA.
No Oxford House can tolerate the use of alcohol or drugs by one of its members because that threatens the sobriety of all of the members. Neither can an Oxford House function if some do not pay their fair share of the costs. An Oxford House Chapter is an additional level of support for individual Oxford Houses. Chapters are important links in making the democratic system of organization underlying Oxford House™ work. The Chapter is the place where all the members of the Oxford House family of individual houses help each other to stay on track and to remain effective. 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.
sober
Contact one of our to discuss both treatment and sober living options today . Q. What is the “ideal” number of individuals to make a self-run, self-supported recovery house work? Experience of Oxford House has shown that from what is alcoholism 8 to 15 members works very well. A house with fewer than six individuals is difficult to maintain because of the small size of the group and the fact that any vacancy causes a greater disruption of the financial welfare of the house. A house must have six or more residents in order to be recognized or chartered by Oxford House. Q. What if there is not an Oxford House in the area or there are no vacancies in any Oxford House in the region?
Acceptance
And, most important, anyone using drugs or alcohol would be expelled. You can stay as long as you like, provided you don’t use drugs and alcohol, are not disruptive, and pay your share of house expenses. The charter of each Oxford House requires that an Oxford House meet certain minimum requirements of Oxford House, Inc. First of all, no Oxford House may permit individuals to remain as members if those individuals are drinking or using drugs. Second, an Oxford House must follow the democratic principles in running the house. Third, an Oxford House must, in essence be a good member of the community by obeying the laws and paying its bills.
