Halfway house visiting rules, for instance, require visitors to be pre-approved by staff members who always maintain security. Some halfway houses require residents to pass a drug screening and breathalyzer test, as they’re not equipped to deal with withdrawal symptoms or delirium tremens. These facilities are ideal for those who’ve gone through a medical detox and, most likely, an inpatient or outpatient treatment program. Visiting hours at federal halfway houses are usually between 9 AM and 5 PM from Monday through Friday and longer on the weekends. Visitors are also prohibited from bringing alcoholic beverages, illegal substances, or weapons. We use the term “halfway house” because it describes the transitional nature of this kind of sober living environment.

• Whether or not a sober living facility needs to be licensed depends on the specific locale.
• You’ve gone throughmedical detoxand completed an inpatient or outpatient treatment program.
• Halfway houses provide more freedom to residents than inpatient treatment programs.
• If you’ve got a loved one in a halfway house, visiting them can be comforting and supportive.

Living Arrangements

All in all, a family-like setting under control can help such a person live a normal life without returning to drug abuse; thereby, the person will be better able to live in society and find a job. Without adequate funding, staffing, and programming, the rehabilitative and reentry efforts may be lost. And placement in unhealthy environments generally only makes these situations worse. Not all halfway houses have the same policy on smoking, vaping, or other tobacco products.

How Effective Are Halfway Houses?

• In some states, a halfway house refers to a community corrections facility that serves as an alternative to jail or prison.
• They’re like the cheerleaders rooting for your success at every twist and turn.
• Residents are all going through a similar process, and the staff creates a sense of structure.
• Housekeeping duties and commitments are usually delegated to occupants as a part of their everyday tasks, developing accountability and aiding in the upkeep of the housing.
• The staff doesn’t provide any clinical or medical services, but many residents attend outpatient treatment or participate in recovery-based groups while they live there.

An inmate’s day may initially be highly structured with treatment programs, classes and training, recreational activities, and check-ins. That structure may be gradually reduced as an inmate demonstrates accountability and adaptability. Sober living arrangements are designed for those who need more support in their recovery than is available at their own homes.

There’s far more that we don’t know: Lack of publicly available data makes it difficult to hold facilities accountable

• While rules may vary, we’re going to discuss the general guidelines most homes require.
• This included the formation of the Halfway House Association in 1958, which aimed to standardize and improve the quality of transitional housing programs across the United States.
• Therefore, people who already have some level of sobriety under their belt are more likely to succeed at a halfway house than those who are new to recovery.
• At a halfway house, you will continue working on your early recovery while enjoying the peer support of your fellow recovering housemates.

The living conditions and the number of residents vary in every facility. While some accommodations provide bedrooms that two or three people can share, others provide larger rooms that are furnished with bunk beds to accommodate more residents. In Halfway House vs Sober Living a halfway house, residents learn to rely on one another and take accountability for their actions. If you have more questions about a certain policy or how halfway houses work, you may get in touch with the halfway house. The staff at the halfway house will be able to answer any inquiries you may have. They will be able to walk you through the admissions process for the halfway house and explain why certain policies are in place.

These regulations ensure that residents are not put in harm’s way by any substance or environment. All halfway house residents are expected to take part in routines such as household chores. Through daily chores, they can get re-acquainted with the fundamentals of functional life in a safe and structured setting. Incorporating chores into a regular routine is also one way to teach sobriety while preparing an individual for the mundane tasks of daily living. Laundry, meal preparation, doing the dishes, cleaning the house, gardening, and raking leaves are examples of such chores.

At Ocean Recovery, we ensure that those in our programs have access to follow-up services or aftercare to help maintain sobriety and stay strong in recovery once they leave sober living homes. Unlike sober living homes, halfway houses are state-funded programs that often carry a long waiting list and require a court order. This is not to say that there aren’t non-profit halfway houses you can get into, but the waiting time can be extensive.