Forexpulse There are many confusing facilities that offer similar services and have nearly identical characteristics. Sober living, half-houses, Oxford houses. All these examples serve similar purposes, but they have significant differences.
In this article, you will find out what is an Oxford house, and about its purpose. And more importantly, you will learn how these residences are run and how much does it cost to live in one.
What is an Oxford House?
An Oxford house is a residential facility that provides a sober environment and encourages members to lead healthy lifestyles. The definition might sound like the definition of sober living houses, but it is different.
The Oxford house has no staff or supervisors; instead, members recovering from addiction run the house on their own. The facility is self-run and self-financed by people who live in residence. Every six months, members elect a new supervisor.
Facility Model
The model or structure of an Oxford house requires members to run the residence. As mentioned, paying rent every month is the responsibility of each member. But they also have to pay the bills, maintain the home, share responsibilities and other expenses, for example, repair.
That way, members of the residence create their own effective, democratic system. It is one of the requirements of the Oxford house Model — to be independent and financially autonomous.
Another peculiarity of this model is that it doesn’t have any staff members. Instead, residents take care of everything related to running the house. One more peculiarity of the model is that anyone who breaks the main rule has to be expelled. The main rule is to avoid substance abuse.
Purpose of Oxford House
The facility’s purpose is to build an independent and financially healthy community that centers around sober living. By living together in one home, people share vital responsibilities. The main goal is to learn how to stay sober and avoid a relapse.
Members pay the rent of the building. It’s almost like renting an apartment or room, but you live in a community with people that support your desire to stay sober.
Members learn how to build meaningful relationships and share responsibilities. The need to still pay for rent means that the member is encouraged to be financially stable. This positively affects individuals since they learn how to manage their finances properly.
Living in such a home means leading a healthy lifestyle. No drugs or alcohol are allowed. Violence towards other members is also frowned upon and may lead to exclusion from the facility.
Oxford House doesn’t have a random drug test rule, unlike sober living homes. But if anyone confesses to doing drugs or drinking alcohol or gets caught, they must immediately leave the facility. That’s one of the three main rules of the Oxford House model.
What do Oxford Houses Offer?
The facility provides various health and societal benefits. Members receive much-needed support and encouragement from their peers, who are also learning how to lead a healthy living. This is what a typical facility offers to its residents:
- 24/7 support on the way to recovery.
- Relearning valuable skills like how to take care of a house, oneself, etc.
- Building meaningful relationships that are not centered around alcohol or drugs.
- Gaining independence and learning how to manage finances.
- Voting on all issues that affect the house since it is run according to democratic principles.
- Temptation-free environment.
- Treatment (in-house and outside).
- Getting recommendations of where to get the job, how to manage the house, etc.
Residents receive all the necessary help for them to become healthy members of society. They can stay as long as they want. The Oxford house is different from a halfway facility. In the latter example, inmates live in half-houses as part of their sentence, and they can’t leave when they wish.
Members of an Oxford house can leave or stay depending on their situation. Typically, after living for a while in an Oxford house, members find jobs and become financially stable. Some prefer to leave and live alone. Others decide to stay and even become officers to help other individuals.
The Costs of Living in a Facility
The cost of living in such a facility depends on each house. Living in an Oxford house requires paying for rent, so it’s almost like renting your own home. But the price is usually lower since members share the house.
Some members claim they pay around $400-$500 each month. All members also have to pay for their food and maintenance bills, so the costs also depend on each individual’s needs.
Most experts claim that living in such a residence helps save costs, especially after losing a job due to substance abuse. Members share all responsibilities, which give them time to find a good job and gain their ground.
