The Importance of Choosing an Accredited Sober Living Home

Addiction is a chronic and progressive disease that requires ongoing maintenance to ensure long-term sobriety. Your work doesn’t end when you complete a treatment program. The addiction relapse rate is between 40 to 60%, so you must continue looking for new ways to support your sobriety.

One of the most difficult times during early recovery is the transition from a facility to everyday life. During this time, you will be exposed to new triggers that you must learn to overcome.

Attending a sober living program ensures that you will receive the support you need while building a community to rely on. They offer structure and accountability that will help you stay sober even in the face of triggers and cravings. That being said, you want to make sure the recovery housing you choose is reputable.

The best way to ensure that the halfway housing you are picking is reputable is to determine if it is accredited. The best sober living homes go through an accreditation process to prove that they are operating under the standards of care. Choosing a certified recovery residence is important because it proves that the sober living home is safe, supportive, and effective.

How Are Sober Living Homes Accredited?

An accrediting organization will set forth requirements and a code of ethics that a sober living home must abide by. When a sober living home wishes to become accredited, the organization will come to assess its program and living situation.

During an assessment for accreditation, sober living homes will have to meet a list of standards, including:

• Complete a regular inspection of the home and property
• Ensure that residents are maintaining their sobriety
• The home is clean, free of pests, and safe
• The home blends into the surrounding community
• There are management and staff training procedures
• Ensure that policies and procedures are being implemented regularly
• Audit and grievance inspections can be completed without advance notice

These requirements help an accreditation organization ensure that a sober living home is safe for the residents. Additionally, the assessments will prove whether the home is assisting residents in staying sober in a supportive and helpful manner. Accreditation proves whether a sober living home is beneficial for recovering from substance abuse and supports good mental health.

Understanding the Standards of a FARR Accredited Sober Living Home

If you are attending a sober living home in Florida, most of them will be accredited by the Florida Alliance for Recovery Residences (FARR). The easiest way to understand the importance of choosing an accredited program is by looking at the standards they are required to uphold.

FARR-accredited sober living programs will operate under the following standards:

• Operating under integrity
• Upholding the rights of residences
• Creating an atmosphere of empowerment where residents engage in leadership roles
• Providing a home-like environment
• Ensuring the environment is safe and healthy for those in recovery
• Facilitating active recovery and community engagement
• Helping residents enhance their social skills
• Cultivating a sense of belonging and engagement in the community
• Learning how to be a good neighbor

Accrediting organizations like FARR require sober living homes to help residents feel safe in their homes, engage in recovery maintenance techniques, have access to the support they need, and cultivate a supportive environment. To protect the surrounding community, sober living homes must create an environment where they are behaving under the standards of a “good neighbor.”

Why Should You Choose an Accredited Sober Living Home?

Accredited sober living homes will offer recovery support services to help people manage their substance use disorder. They will also ensure every resident has access to health care, a recovery community, and the tools they need to be successful in everyday life.

The reasons you should choose an accredited sober living home include:

Updated Safety Policies

Safety is one of the most important aspects of sober living. The reason you choose to reside in one of these programs is to enhance your ability to maintain sobriety. This means the home must be safe for someone recovering from addiction.

Accredited programs must uphold safety policies that are up to date. They will be assessed at random to ensure the home is safe, and substance-free while providing an environment that supports recovery.

Proven Healthy Environment for Sobriety

Accredited sober living homes have proven that the environment they provide supports recovery from addiction. This means the home will be drug and alcohol-free, and offer supportive services like access to a recovery community. They will also be run by people who have experience in recovering from addiction, which allows the staff to help residents throughout their recovery journey.

Ensures Residents Receive the Support They Need

Lastly, accredited sober living homes ensure that each resident receives the type of support they need. Whether this means vocational training for employment, transportation to recovery meetings, or supportive advice on coping skills, residents will be supported in the way that matters most.

Choosing an accredited program means that you will be given the tools you need to be successful in your recovery journey.

Get Connected to an Accredited Sober Living Home

If you or a loved one are transitioning from treatment to everyday life, sober living might be right for you. At New You Sober Living, we ensure every resident gets the care and support they need.

Contact us today to learn more about our sober living program in Florida.