House & Chapter Literature & Guidelines » Oxford Houses of Virginia

The line between an Oxford House alcoholism treatment of recovering alcoholics or drug addicts and an Oxford House of active alcoholics or drug addicts is a thin one. A member’s tenure is absolutely secure in an Oxford House as long as he does not drink or use drugs and keeps his rent up to date and is not disruptive. During the last days of our drinking or using drugs, most of us ceased to function as responsible individuals.

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• The majority of participants were involved in activities around their recovery.
• Those who have benefited from an Oxford House have acquired enthusiasm for the Oxford House concept.
• 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.
• However, there is every reason to believe that recovering alcoholics and drug addicts can do for themselves that which society as a whole has no responsibility to do for them.
• The Oxford House website contains an application and information about How to Apply to live in an Oxford House.
• The article discusses a challenge in Columbia Heights related to zoning regulations that may threaten the program citywide.

At the Oxford House World Convention held annually, Oxford Houses throughout the country vote for representatives to the World Council. In 1975, a tight budget in Montgomery County, Maryland led to a decision to close one of the four county-run halfway houses. The thirteen men living in the halfway house rented the building and decided to run it themselves. They immediately decided to change the rule that limited a stay to six months because they had witnessed that when a person was required to leave because the time was up they almost always relapsed within thirty days of leaving.

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• 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.
• This principle contrasts sharply with the principle of providing the alcoholic or drug addict with assistance for a limited time period in order to make room for a more recently recovering alcoholic or drug addict.
• That was an important change because recovering individuals take different lengths of time to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse.
• It is obvious why Oxford House must strongly protect the sobriety of its other members by asking the drinking member or member using drugs to leave.
• Propagation, or spreading the word, of the Oxford House concept is given the highest priority by the members of Oxford House.
• Some houses are all veterans but primarily veterans are integrated into the normal Oxford House population.
• Our officers are but trusted servants serving continuous periods of no longer than six months in any one office.

The majority of participants were involved in activities around their recovery. Key findings include 63% of residents involved in mentoring others in recovery, 44% running support groups, and 56% involved in educating the community about Oxford House. Paul Molloy was a young lawyer on Capitol Hill who had a key role in drafting legislation that created Amtrak and other federal programs. He was also an alcoholic whose drinking would eventually cost him his job, his family and his home.

Q. How did Oxford House get started?

The Oxford House Model is the unique, time-tested system of operations; an evidence-based practice shown to bring significant results currently unmatched in the recovery space. This system enables prospective members to find openings quickly and apply to houses. In 1987, the late Bill Spillane, Ph. D., who had retired from NIDA and was teaching at Catholic University School of Social Work in Washington, D.C. Followed up on each house application and tracked down the individuals who had moved out.

The Oxford House Model provides a community based, supportive, and sober living environment.

• The thirteen men living in the halfway house rented the building and decided to run it themselves.
• The members of an Oxford House assume full responsibility for the operation of the House.
• The best sales pitch for spreading the word about Oxford House is simply the establishment of a sound Oxford House and a straightforward discussion of what it is, how it works and why it is needed.
• One can only be dismissed from an Oxford House because of drinking, using drugs, non-payment of rent, or disruptive behavior.

That was an important change because oxford sober living recovering individuals take different lengths of time to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse. In fact, Oxford House creates an environment whereby each member can more fully realize the benefits available from active AA or NA membership. An underlying principle of Oxford House is that each individual member has the ability to be responsible for himself.

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Before spreading the word, an individual Oxford House should make certain that it is sufficiently established to undertake public discussion of it goals and mission. The best sales pitch for spreading the word about Oxford House is simply the establishment of a sound Oxford House and a straightforward discussion of what it is, how it works and why it is needed. It is not easy to spread the word of a new concept or an old concept with a new twist. Propagation, or spreading the word, of the Oxford House concept is given the highest priority by the members of Oxford House. Within an Oxford House group, it is not unusual to find some members who have problems which cannot be dealt with by the group.