Michigan Sober Living Homes

Sober living homes are facilities that provide safe temporal housing and support for people who just finished rehab or need a drug-free place to maintain their sobriety.
Also called halfway or transitional housing, sober living homes in Michigan are designed to help patients adjust to real-life while maintaining healthy habits. Most sober living homes are former private residences converted into recovery residences, but public facilities designed for transition after rehab also exist.
The Office of Recovery Oriented Systems of Care (OROSC) has regulatory oversight over recovery residences in Michigan. The agency ensures all houses maintain a safe, drug-free environment for people in recovery. Likewise, the Michigan Association of Recovery Residences (MARR) certifies and publishes a list of recovery residences in the state.

Daily Life in Michigan Sober Living Homes

The structure guiding the daily activities in Michigan sober living homes varies with the house. However, there are common activities in a Michigan sober living home on a typical day.
Mostly, patients have a wake-up time after which they will make their beds, wash up and sometimes help make breakfast. Residents often attend a house meeting or participate in group activities after breakfast.
The rest of the day is personal to each client. People who have jobs could leave for their places of work, while others spend the day job hunting or involved in skills acquisition training.
Most Michigan sober living homes have a set curfew for all residents. In the evenings, residents eat dinner and attend support groups that play vital roles in recovery. Free time is spent watching TV, exercising, reading, or pursuing other hobbies.

How to Increase Your Chances of Staying Sober While in Michigan Sober Living

While some find it easy to maintain sobriety in Michigan sober living, it is a challenging step for others. Nevertheless, there are ways to increase the chances of staying sober in Michigan sober living.

Follow House Rules

The first step is to adhere to the rules of the sober living home, which is principally abstaining from alcohol and drugs. It is also advisable for residents to fully participate in all group activities and meetings. Studies have shown that programs in recovering housing or sober living homes, such as 12-step meetings, can reduce the possibility of a relapse. It may be easy for some to stay sober by adhering to the facilities' rules and guidelines. On the other hand, some other patients may need to put in extra effort for complete recovery.

Identify and Avoid Triggers

Persons seeking to stay sober in Michigan sober living may need to identify things that trigger them to use drugs and avoid those triggers. It is often easier to prevent relapse by understanding these triggers and learning to deal with them. It is also essential to watch out for a pattern of behavior leading up to relapse.

Get Professional Help

Therapy is critical in staying sober while in Michigan sober living homes. A therapist helps patients cope with challenges they may face on their path to recovery. Also, these professionals are excellent at assisting people to acquire new coping skills and develop new and healthy thinking patterns.

Pick up an Activity

Getting busy with jobs or hobbies also increases the chances of getting sober while in Michigan sober living homes. Unhealthy thoughts or feelings may creep in when a person is idle. Therefore, it is advisable for patients to get a job, resume schooling, participate in community service, or be occupied with things they enjoy doing.

When to Move Into a Sober Living Home in Michigan

A person can move into a sober living home in Michigan after completing rehab, but this is not a hard rule. Michigan sober living homes do not provide addiction recovery services. Residents can only provide emotional support and companionship.
While support and companionship are helpful in recovery, they are not enough to maintain long-term recovery. As such, it is recommended that persons battling addiction commit to a rehab program before or during their stay in the sober living home.

Sober Living Houses vs. Halfway Houses in Michigan

Sober living houses and halfway houses are designed for people on the path of recovery and share some similarities. For one, both models support people who no longer require a high level of support for independent living. Also, both are forms of aftercare programs that ease the shift from rehab to real life. But despite these similarities, there are key differences between these terms.

Ownership & Management

Private organizations or individuals manage sober living houses for profit, while halfway houses in Michigan totally eliminate costs or offer services at a reduced price. There are grants available through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), government surplus, and tax exemptions for halfway houses across the US, including Michigan.

Cost of Staying

Halfway residences may be cheaper than other rehab centers because of government funding, and they come with fewer amenities. On the other hand, sober living houses cost more, and they come with better services.

Entry of residents

Individuals voluntarily sign up for a space in sober living homes, while most halfway house residents are mandated under court orders.

Convenience

Sober living homes are more comfortable and private. There are low-cost accommodations and luxurious ones that patients can choose from according to their budgets. Meanwhile, halfway houses are structured like dormitories and give almost no room for privacy.

Length of Stay

Sober living homes do not specify the duration of stay for patients. Patients may continue to stay there as long as they can afford the costs. On the other hand, the maximum amount of time a person can spend in halfway houses is usually 12 months.

Types of Michigan Sober Living Houses

Michigan sober living homes vary according to services, rent, rules, and general living conditions. Some houses are connected to rehab and operate under the oversight of a behavioral health care system. Others are run independently by residents. There are four main types of sober living homes in Michigan, categorized by the level of support they offer patients, the intensity of supervision and structure, and the amenities available. They are:

Halfway Houses

Michigan halfway houses are licensed by the Department of Community Health and Human Services. These facilities offer supervision guidelines and amenities to patients as they learn to live alcohol and drug-free lives. These centers also officer addiction counseling services to their residents and may conduct random or regular sobriety tests.

Transitional Housing

Transitional Housing is a type of sober living home. It serves as a complement to day treatment programs in addition to treatment like Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Counseling. It is often offered based on binary genders, i.e., men-only housing or women-only housing.

Oxford Houses

These are the most common types of sober living homes where residents pay rent to the private owners for a drug and alcohol-free environment. While Michigan recovery houses do not provide treatment or medication management, occupants are expected to participate in outpatient therapy. These facilities also encourage patients to get jobs within a specified period to promote a normal lifestyle. In a typical recovery house, patients must sign in and out of the sober living home, abide by the curfew schedule, participate in house meetings, and subject themselves to regular drug testing.
According to the National Alliance of Recovery Residences (NARR), Oxford houses in Michigan are categorized into four levels.

• Level I (Peer Run) — Residents are self-monitored.
• Level II (Monitored) — A supervisor or house manager unites residents under this level.
• Level III (Supervised) — Recovery residences categorized under the third level have a higher degree of mandatory involvement in programs.
• Level IV (Service Provider) — Level 4 recovery houses are often partnered with clinical facilities.

Sober Housing

A sober living home is less restrictive than other rehab programs, and residents deal with fewer rules and guidelines. Usually, patients registered in sober housing have been sober for quite some time and have exhibited signs of self-awareness, accountability, and responsibility.

The Phases of Sober Living in Michigan

While some sober living homes break down the phases of sober living, there are three major phases of sober living in Michigan.

Restrictive or Abstinence Phase

This is where recently sober individuals gradually adapt to sober living. The restrictive phase provides structure and organization to attend to the resident's condition. It is advised to get involved with healthy activities and therapy sessions during this stage.

Reintroduction Phase

In this phase, the sober living home eases the restrictions and guidelines, thus allowing patients to experience and enjoy the environment in their own way. Residents begin to handle more personal responsibilities. Clients are provided with the necessary support during this phase if they have triggers or cravings for the old life. Also, residents can test skills acquired during therapy.

Self-sufficiency phase

The self-sufficiency phase is the last step before the transition into independent living from a sober living home. This phase is when residents are ready to stand independently with minimal possibility of relapse. This stage happens when patients have stayed sober and have displayed signs of confidence in their new selves. However, patients may be required to step back into the restrictive phase if they relapse.

Find A Sober Living House or Substance Abuse Treatment Near Me

All accredited sober living operators are listed on the Michigan Association of Recovery Residences Directory. The directory lists sober living homes by the county to find a sober living home near you. The list has detailed information on each sober living in Michigan, including their addresses, contact information, and approximate costs.
Another way to find the nearest sober living home in Michigan is through SAMHSA's treatment center locator. Interested persons may also call SAMHSA at (800) 662-4357 for confidential guidance in finding a sober living in Michigan.