What is a sober living program, and do programs like this always involve residing in sober living homes? Yes, a sober living program usually involves living in a sober home, also called drug- and alcohol-free housing or a halfway house. Housing options like this can offer people in recovery a positive, safe, and secure environment that provides both structure and support. These group living homes ensure that people in recovery are not isolated but instead are surrounded by others reaching for the same goal of maintaining sobriety.
While a sober living program is not exactly an addiction treatment program, it can be a lifesaver for people that have completed formal inpatient or residential addiction treatment programs without a healthy home environment waiting for them. Are you searching for a sober living program near Boston, MA? Contact Rockland Recovery by reaching out to our team online or calling 855.732.4842 to learn more about sober housing in MA.
What Is Sober Housing?
Sober housing includes sober living homes and halfway houses. These housing options operate as a bridge between inpatient addiction treatment facilities and the real world that clients have to reintegrate into after they complete addiction treatment programs. Some of these houses may also have residents that have not yet gone through professional treatment but need a safe space to maintain their newfound sobriety.
For many people in recovery, moving into a sober living home after completing formal treatment helps them continue on the path of sobriety. Also, it gives them a comfortable space to practice their new coping skills and healthy habits before they do so in the real world when they’re with their close friends or family members. Sober housing is also an excellent choice if a client doesn’t have a safe home environment to come back to after they undergo detox and further addiction treatments.
Sober houses don’t provide the same level of care and structure as inpatient facilities, but they support and encourage residents as they practice and develop healthy coping skills and look for permanent housing and employment opportunities.
Who Would Be Ideal Residents of Sober Houses?
Sober living options are ideal for people in recovery who feel like they can’t maintain sobriety by themselves or don’t have a safe home environment waiting for them out in the real world.
Sober houses are ideal for people in recovery looking for safe but temporary housing. Many sober living homes allow residents to stay for at least ninety days, although longer stays may be arranged if necessary. While in a sober living home, residents should not only maintain their sobriety but also work on finding permanent living arrangements and a job with a salary to support their independent living.
Because sober living homes replicate everyday life situations while instilling healthy habits, they help reduce the chance of relapse.
Sober living homes also guide residents throughout their recovery path by helping them:
- Make amends with friends and family members
- Look for a job
- Look for permanent housing
- Adjust to sober living in an unstructured environment
Where Would You Look for Sober Houses in MA?
There are numerous sober houses in MA available to people in recovery when they leave formal addiction treatment programs. These sober housing options are essential because they’re safe and stable environments that not only support maintaining sobriety in MA but also help people in recovery transition smoothly back into society.
The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services of the MA Department of Public Health contacts two organizations to apply standards to these homes, made specific to include Massachusetts laws. These organizations are the Massachusetts Association for Sober Housing (MASH) and the Recovery Homes Collaborative. You can look for their resources online to help you find sober houses in MA.
Sober living communities in Massachusetts are often paid programs, meaning residents are expected to pay rent and are typically set up for only men or only women. Residents are also expected to take part in regular meetings or individual counseling. Most sober living homes in MA also subject their residents to random drug and alcohol testing. Would-be residents also must be 18 years old or older and have to pass a background screening and an initial drug and alcohol test.
Maintain Sobriety with Sober Housing from Rockland Recovery
Sometimes, maintaining sobriety in MA requires support at all times. That’s why sober living homes exist. If you’re looking for a sober living program near Boston, MA, contact Rockland Recovery today. You can reach out to our team online or call 855.732.4842 for more information about sober houses in MA.
