Security, shared goals and vision, unity and camaraderie were found to appeal to residents as advantages of sober living. Stigma and shame became less powerful and the group cared for each other. A key difference between a social reintegration center and a sober life is that only social reintegration centers are usually funded by the government. According to the NCBI, the intention of a social reintegration center is to help each person in recovery to facilitate the transfer from a residential center or hospital to normal life and routine.
A sober living situation can be considered a sanctuary for recovering addicts, as opposed to a social reintegration center that is not necessarily intended for recovering addicts; residents of a rehabilitation center can include people with a physical disability or people who have recently been released from prison. People who live in social reintegration centers may have a current drug or alcohol addiction or be in recovery from one, have a chronic mental illness, or be in transition to leave the prison system. While homes for sober people exist only for people who are recovering from substance use disorders, social reintegration centers serve multiple populations. Social reintegration centers are not treatment centers, but they offer classes, meetings, groups and a substance-free environment where their residents can continue their recovery.
