Electing members to staggered three-year terms https://dev-cleanbg.pantheonsite.io/2021/09/10/what-is-alcohol-intolerance-what-it-is-and-how-to-6/ of office assures continuity of the 12-member World Council. This assures integrity and correct application of the Oxford House system of operations as documented in the Oxford House Manual© and Oxford House Chapter Manual©. 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.
Q. Can both men and women live in the same Oxford House?
However, the men living in that halfway house, including Oxford House’s founder Paul Molloy, were not ready to leave. The article discusses a challenge in Columbia Heights related to zoning regulations that may threaten the program citywide. Lawyers for Oxford House argue a violation of the federal Fair Housing Act, emphasizing the need to support this cost-effective and successful rehabilitation model in the city. Today Oxford House has more than 20,000 residents at more than 3,500 homes across 47 states and several foreign countries. They called their experiment in group living and joint sobriety Oxford House.
Maintaining the Integrity of the House: The Role of Expulsion
During 2010, approximately 24,000 individuals lived in an Oxford House for some or part of the year. Of that number 4,332 relapsed 19% and were expelled, while 7,668 moved out clean and sober. At any given time there are about 2,000 Oxford House residents who have served in the military. During the course of a year more than 4,000 veterans will live in an Oxford House. Some houses are all veterans but primarily veterans are integrated into the normal Oxford House population.

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- This shared sense of ownership and responsibility fosters a strong sense of community and accountability, reinforcing the individual’s commitment to their own recovery.
- This autonomy fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, crucial for long-term recovery.
- Each house adheres to the absolute requirement that any member who returns to using alcohol or drugs must be immediately expelled.
- Each member brings their unique experiences, strengths, and insights to the table.
- Those who have benefited from an Oxford House have acquired enthusiasm for the Oxford House concept.
Failure to adhere to any of these three requirements would bring the entire Oxford House concept into question. Therefore, it is important that each Oxford House meet these minimum responsibilities in order for its charter to be continued. All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds.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, 9 of which presently live in an Oxford House, 3 who are alumni. In carrying out its mission the Council always keeps a focus on expansion of the network of Sober living house individual Oxford Houses, to provide all recovering alcoholics and drug addictions the opportunity to develop comfortable sobriety without relapse. In fact, Oxford House creates an environment whereby each member can more fully realize the benefits available from active AA or NA membership.
Chapters
Residents work together to maintain the house, organize meetings, resolve conflicts, and support each other through challenges. It is important to remember that the process of re-entry is possible after the individual seeks additional treatment. Using established meeting formats, such as the Robert’s Rules of Order (simplified), helps to streamline the process and ensure that all members have an opportunity to express their views. It’s not about individual preferences or biases, but about striving for a consensus that reflects the values and principles of the Oxford House model. The concept of Group Conscience is the cornerstone of ethical decision-making within an Oxford House. It’s the collective wisdom and judgment of the house members, ensuring that decisions are made fairly and with the best interests of the community in mind.
- There is no reason to believe that society as a whole had the responsibility to provide long-term housing within a protected environment for the alcoholic and drug addict.
- Other members were asked to leave halfway houses in order to make room for a recovering alcoholic or recovering drug addict who was ready to move into a halfway house.
- Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff.
- Regional Coordinators and support staff serve as crucial links between individual Oxford Houses and the wider organization.
- Despite being considered into the tertiary level of attention,32 we observe in Brazil a lack of therapeutic residences for psychoactive substance users.
- The rotation of leadership, supported by the wider Oxford House community, creates a powerful system for personal growth, shared responsibility, and collective success.
The Contribution of Oxford House Chapters and Associations

Experience of Oxford House has shown that from 8 to 15 members works very well. Oxford House will not charter a house with fewer than six individuals because experience has shown that it takes at least six individuals to form an effective group. The primary purpose of each Chapter is to assure that each oxford House operates in a way that is consistent with the Oxford House Traditions and system of operations as described in the Oxford House Manual. Chapters have become the front-line building blocks of quality control and mutual assistance for the continued success of all Oxford Houses. Experience has shown that both the individual houses and Oxford House, Inc. as a whole are more likely to succeed and last if every house belongs to a chapter. The World Council is made up of both alumni and residents of Oxford Houses who are elected by their peers.
Great! Let’s look at the broader Oxford House network.
Yes, because alcoholism, drug addiction and mental illness are handicapping conditions. Oxford House, Inc. litigated the issue and in 1995 the United States Supreme Court considered the issue in City of Edmonds, WA v. Oxford House, Inc. et. Since then courts have found that the same protection applies with respect to fire safety standards and rates charged property owners for property insurance coverage. An Oxford House Chapter is an additional level of support for individual Oxford Houses. Chapters are important links in making the democratic system of organization underlying Oxford House™ work. The Chapter is the place where all the members of the Oxford House family of individual houses help each other to stay on oxford house traditions track and to remain effective.
- Oxford House residents actively contribute to their communities, dedicating an average of 10 hours a month to neighborhood involvement.
- By providing a consistent format for gathering and organizing information, these templates save time and effort, allowing members to focus on their recovery.
- 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.
- While Oxford House is not affiliated with AA or NA, its members realize that recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction can only be assured by the changing of their lifestyle through full participation in AA and NA.
- The average number of times an Oxford House resident has been through prior treatment is three, but for about a quarter of residents their Oxford House residency is after their first treatment episode.
- During the early 1990s dozens of communities sought to close Oxford Houses located in good neighborhoods because local zoning ordinances restricted the number of unrelated individuals that could live together in a single-family home.
Democratically self-run
The application is then considered by the membership of the House and if there is a vacancy and if 80% of the members approve, the applicant is accepted and moves in. If an applicant does not get voted into one house he or she should try another house in the area. The Oxford House website contains an application and information about How to Apply to live in an Oxford House.
« We found that participants assigned to a communal living Oxford House compared to usual care condition had significantly less substance use and criminal involvement and, significantly better employment outcomes. » Find a house, fill out the application, and call a house to schedule an interview. It is not unusual that an individual who gets rejected at one house applies at another house with an opening and gets accepted. Call the contact person for each house you’re interested in to set up an interview. Oxford House, Inc. is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that employs both office and field staff. Each Oxford House should be autonomous except in matters affecting other houses or Oxford House, Inc., as a whole.