Originally from the Augusta County-Staunton-Waynesboro area I know the need for sober living housing in that area. The people who become addicted to alcohol and drugs have nowhere to go when they leave jail or treatment centers or just realize it’s time to get clean and sober but back to the old people, places and things. I know this because I was one of those people until I learned of Oxford House.
Oxford House is a concept in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically run, self-supporting and drug free home. By the time many persons addicted to alcohol or drugs get serious about recovery, they have lost their normal living accommodations or at best made their living in them very difficult. Going home becomes either impossible or risky for continued recovery. Oxford House can provide a transitional home between early recovery and past homes or new homes. It can also provide a permanent home for those who decide that they prefer living in a supportive group environment to living alone. Over 80% of those who live in an Oxford House stay clean and sober.

Short-term custody in a hospital setting or a supervised detoxification facility or a jail cell is the usual way to stop an addict’s compulsive use of alcohol and drugs. Staying stopped is the more difficult challenge, but Oxford Houses can help. In the drug court setting or upon release from incarceration, recovering individuals can be put into groups for starting new Oxford Houses or can get into an existing Oxford House.
When an individual is accepted for membership in an Oxford House, there is no time limit on how long he or she can live there, but use of alcohol or drugs or nonpayment of rent will result in expulsion that simple policy lies at the heart of what Oxford House is and what makes it work.
Recovering individuals interested in self-run, self supported recovery houses have two options. If they are in an area where Oxford Houses already exist, they should investigate the possibility of admission to one of those houses. Applications for residence are available at each house. If there is not an Oxford House in their area, or if the existing houses are full, they should consider starting one.
As many as 70% of the jail cells in the country are occupied by drug addicts or alcoholics. Recidivism for drug addicts and alcoholics is over 50% in the first 18 months after release. Oxford House living gives the recovering drug addicts and alcoholics the opportunity to stay clean and sober. Oxford Houses provide a place to live different from where one had lived before having problems with the criminal justice system. Living in an Oxford House provides the time, peer support and self-confidence to assure long-term sobriety without relapse. Oxford House chapters work with Judges to help everyone find a place to become comfortable in sobriety without relapse.

The standardized system of operations has evolved from the 33-year history of Oxford House and permits replication of Oxford Houses the country. All Oxford Houses are tied together to assure mutual support and quality control.

Oxford Houses are democratic, mutual help–oriented recovery homes for individuals with substance abuse histories. There are more than 1200 of these houses in the United States, and each home is operated independently by its residents, without help from professional staff. In a recent experiment, 150 individuals in Illinois were randomly assigned to either an Oxford House or usual-care condition (i.e., outpatient treatment or self-help groups) after substance abuse treatment discharge. At the 24-month follow- up, those in the Oxford House condition compared with the usual-care condition had significantly lower substance use, significantly higher monthly income, and significantly lower incarceration rates. (Am J Public Health. 2006;96:XXX–XXX. doi:10. 2105/AJPH.2005.070839).
Oxford House currently has one house open in Charlottesville and has plans to open more in the Charlottesville area.
I would like to return to the area to start an Oxford House to be able to give back to the community and start a much needed Oxford House any feedback from the community would be greatly appreciated.

Visit http://www.oxfordhouse.org for more information.

By Jeff P.
OXFORD HOUSE – Williamsburg
Jeffrey Placko
136 Magruder Ave.
Williamsburg Va. 23185
H: (757) 565-6308 C: (757) 509-1383