There are six house officers in each Oxford House, elected by the members to support the operations of the house. It doesn’t matter if they’ve been living in the house for one day or for multiple years. Explore how each house is supported by the broader Oxford House network.
- During the course of a year more than 4,000 veterans will live in an Oxford House.
- The Oxford House Model provides a unique and successful system of operations that differs from traditional sober living homes and halfway houses.
- Paul Molloy was a young lawyer on Capitol Hill who had a key role in drafting legislation that created Amtrak and other federal programs.
Great! Let’s look at the broader Oxford House network.
Modest rooms and living facilities can become luxurious suites when viewed from an environment of alcoholics working together for comfortable sobriety. During early recovery for alcoholism and drug addiction, some members had to leave an institution in order to make room for an alcoholic or drug addict just beginning the recovery process. Other members were asked to leave half-way houses in order to oxford house make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a half-way house. Each individual recovers from alcoholism or drug addiction at a different pace. 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.
The Future of the Oxford House Model
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. The World Council is made up of both alumni and residents of Oxford Houses who are elected by their peers. 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.
Democratically self-run
- (Since 1989, many new Oxford Houses have taken advantage of state revolving loan programs.
- Those democratic principles will also enable the members of a particular Oxford House to take pride in their new found responsibility.
- The reason that each Oxford House is independent arises from the very practical consideration that those who are closest to a situation are best able to manage it.
As more people recognize the importance of supportive living environments in recovery, this model is likely to gain further traction. Some houses collect EES from its members on a monthly basis while many houses choose to collect EES on a weekly basis. This monthly or weekly amount varies from state to state and house to house and can range anywhere from $125 a week to $250 a week. When you call a house to set up an interview you can ask them how much their EES is. The OHI field staff travel to Oxford Houses, Chapters, and Associations to provide technical assistance and training, assist with expansion, and network in the community.
- Often several members of an existing House will move into the new House to provide a core group of new members who already know how an Oxford House works.
- If a house votes to accept you, you can tell them whether or not you accept the invitation to move in.
- 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.
- Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a 28-day rehabilitation program or at least a 5 to 10 day detoxification program.
- Experience of Oxford House has shown that from 8 to 15 members works very well.
- Later, some of us were to move into half-way houses which provided shelter, food, and supervision.
Repayment from those start-up loans assures the continuation of the revolving fund to enable other new houses to get started — just as repayment of loans to chapters permits the same resources to be used again and again. 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. Once more applications are received than there are beds available, the members of any Oxford House will begin to look around for another suitable house. When they find such a house they will bring it up with the other existing Houses and if there is a consensus they will attempt to find the start up money and members to fill the new house.
- During the last days of our drinking or using drugs, most of us ceased to function as responsible individuals.
- For those of us who had been in institutions or half-way houses, resentments against authority were common.
- The average stay is about a year, but many members stay three, four, or more years.
Understanding the Oxford House Model for Sober Living: A Comprehensive Guide
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 to which we were able to successfully change our lives had a direct relationship to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.