The Oxford Houses offer a supportive way of life and opportunities to learn skills in an alcohol and drug-free environment. Around 2,500 people in Washington receive recovery support through Oxford Houses each year. Oxford House is a concept of recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically managed, self-sufficient and drug-free household.
Parallel to this concept is the organizational structure of Oxford House, Inc. This 501 (c), 3, publicly supported and non-profit corporation is the coordinating organization that provides the network that connects all Oxford Houses and allocates resources to reproduce the Oxford House concept when needs arise. A home in Oxford is also a housing program designed to support people committed to a sober lifestyle. However, there are a lot of differences between an Oxford House and a Halfway House.
An important difference is that an Oxford house does not include supervisors or paid staff. A house in Oxford is managed by the people who live there. Residents elect officers for 6-month terms. The objective is to develop self-help, self-efficacy and a sense of responsibility through this democratic system.
The philosophy focuses on the ownership of one's own recovery. Once a statute is established, members of the House are responsible for maintaining the household, the bills and the rules of the Oxford House of Representatives. This study also found that children present at Oxford Houses had a positive impact on both parents and other members, and that well-managed and governed recovery homes posed minimal risk to neighbors. Oxford Houses is a community-based mutual aid residential community in which participants seeking to recover from substance use disorder must get jobs, pay utility bills and refrain from disruptive behavior.
