Individuals who have completed prison sentences may have to participate in additional addiction recovery to live in a halfway house as part of their reintegration into society. Halfway houses are also government-funded and have fewer amenities than a sober living home. They tend to be more like dorms, with up to 12 residents, unlike smaller sober homes that offer more privacy and freedom. The complexity of treatment programs, knowing which level of care you need and how to choose the program best suited to you can sadly become a hesitation for those who desperately need care. If you’ve struggled to understand the different types of treatment, you’re not alone.

This is because sober living homes don’t offer treatment as rehab facilities do. While this seems like a disadvantage, paying rent can help a resident continue responsible financial habits. There are many benefits of sober living homes, with the most obvious one being that they offer people a safe place to live and heal. Users can get away from the temptations of their hometown – their peer-pressuring, drug-using, party-going friends – and find solace in a protected, peaceful environment. They can focus on their healing (physically, mentally, emotionally) and take the steps needed to re-discover and re-establish themselves.

How do sober living homes work during the intake process? How do I get into one?

If you or a loved one are struggling with mental health or substance abuse, we can help. A sober living home is a safe, substance-free residency for people in recovery. Although it may seem unlikely, asking for a loan or gift from family and friends can be an effective way to raise money for a sober living home. When people come together and contribute their resources, it is often possible to accumulate large amounts of money. Additionally, your loved ones are likely supportive of your desire to achieve sobriety and will likely view this as a worthwhile investment in your future. When people feel like they are “cured,” they usually abandon these tools and inevitably return to old habits of substance abuse.

The very first days or weeks are especially hard for patients who have just completed an inpatient detox program. Recovering addicts will experience multiple triggers and cravings, eventually leading to relapse. They usually choose to live in either a halfway Selecting the Most Suitable Sober House for Addiction Recovery house or a sober living home. While sober living homes are open to people who have not attended formal addiction treatment, they are often recommended by caseworkers at inpatient and outpatient treatment centers as part of an aftercare plan.

Choosing Between Rehab, Sober Living, and Halfway Houses

The rent or program fee of sober living is an out-of-pocket expense and not reimbursable by insurance unless it is a licensed state-run halfway house. If someone is telling you they have free sober living or are willing to reduce the cost dramatically so your loved one can attend a specific addiction treatment center, this is know as an enticement and illegal. Some families have found that they can use their Health Savings Account to cover the cost of these services.

There is a lot of overlap in the function of these homes, as the main goal of both is to keep residents abstinent from drugs and alcohol. While these facilities maintain much in common, there are key differences in the formation, funding, regulations and logistical aspects of sober living vs. halfway houses. You might be wondering how long most people stay at a substance abuse halfway house or sober living home. After all, the idea isn’t to be there forever; the goal is to get you out into the world on your own terms. Each program will have a different policy when it comes to length of stay. Some will allow you to stay for as long as you’d like, as long as you’re following the rules.

What Studies Say About Sober Living

Halfway houses usually require that residents complete a formal rehab treatment program and they limit the amount of time residents can stay to 12 months. A sober living home offers a semi-independent living environment, where people recovering from an alcohol or drug addiction can practice and expand what they’ve learned during inpatient treatment. However, addiction is a lifelong disease that requires further care and attention once you return home. If you are battling substance addiction, you likely know this firsthand.

Finally, halfway houses often required residents to be engaged in some form of formal treatment, something not all residents wanted or needed. Many people develop meaningful and fulfilling relationships with their roommates. Residents may remain in a sober living home for as long as they want – if they continue following the house rules.

By Julia Childs Heyl, MSW

Julia Childs Heyl, MSW, is a clinical social worker and writer. As a writer, she focuses on mental health disparities and uses critical race theory as her preferred theoretical framework. In her clinical work, she specializes in treating people of color experiencing anxiety, depression, and trauma through depth therapy and EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) trauma therapy.

Peak Density is the number of days of any substance use (i.e., any alcohol or drug) during the month of highest use over the past 6 months (coded 0-31). Six-month abstinence was a dichotomous yes/no regarding any use of alcohol of drugs over the past 6 months. Sober living homes are generally privately-owned houses in quiet, residential areas. Residents usually have their own room or share a bedroom with one other roommate, and shared areas will include bathrooms, kitchens, and living rooms. The oft-cited average is between 166 and 254 days, which means about five and a half to eight and a half months. It’s less important to compare yourself to the average and more important to speak to the professionals you’re working with about what’s working for you.