Financially, residents contribute to the household by paying a weekly rent—typically around $132—which covers utilities and shared food expenses, making it a cost-effective alternative to traditional treatment options. At the Oxford House World Convention held annually, Oxford Houses throughout the country vote for representatives to the World Council. The World Council is comprised of 12 members, alcoholism treatment 9 of which presently live in an Oxford House, 3 who are alumni. Oxford House Inc., is a non-profit, tax exempt, publicly supported corporation which acts as a umbrella organization for the national network of Oxford Houses.
How much does it cost?
This not only helps those individuals to become more involved in AA or NA, and thereby reap greater individual benefits, but also helps to build strong bonds between local AA and NA groups and Oxford House. 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. 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. We’ll show you how Oxford Houses work together to form a self-supporting network of houses.
Q. How difficult is it to find another house to rent?
The Model encourages the development of leadership skills and self-efficacy. Slowly but surely, members learn or relearn values and responsible behavior. In its simplest form, an Oxford House is a shared residence where people in recovery can live together and support each other in a drug and alcohol-free environment.
Can Women and Men Stay in the Same Oxford House?
Depaul University has a team of researchers that have been studying the Oxford House model for more than a decade. Oxford House has enabled peer-run, self-sustaining, and substance-free housing since 1975. Within an Oxford House group, it is not unusual to find some members who have problems which cannot be dealt with by the group.
- Oxford House has enabled peer-run, self-sustaining, and substance-free housing since 1975.
- The dissatisfaction was in part the realization that we were shirking responsibility for our own lives and in part a resentment of authority.
- Staying for six months or more correlated with reduced substance use (15.6% usage prevalence) and better outcomes in employment and self-efficacy.
- What sets Oxford Houses apart from traditional sober living homes is their democratic model, where residents actively participate in decision-making processes, fostering a sense of accountability and community.
- 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 a rehabilitation program, incarceration, or at least a detoxification program.
- Third, an Oxford House must, in essence be a good member of the community by obeying the laws and paying its bills.
- The example of Oxford House members going to AA or NA meetings on their own is contagious.
- 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.
- Transitional housing is temporary housing for the working homeless population and is set up to transition their residents to permanent housing.
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. A major part of the Oxford House philosophy is that dependency is best overcome through an acceptance of responsibility. In Oxford House, each member equally shares the responsibility for the running of the House and upholding the Oxford House tradition. All aspects of Oxford House operations, from the acquisition of the house to the acceptance or dismissal of members, is carried out under oxford sober living democratic procedures. Each member has one vote and majority rule applies except that 80% of the members must agree in accepting new persons for membership. When we stopped drinking, we began to realize that in order to stay stopped, our lives would need to change.
