oxford house traditions

With an average of 8 beds per house, there are more than 2,200 available beds across the state. Individuals typically enter an Oxford House after completing a treatment program or reentering https://ecosoberhouse.com/ from a correctional setting. By 1988, the number of individual Oxford Houses had become so great that it became difficult to have a meeting at which everyone would get a chance to speak.

Welcome to North Carolina Oxford Houses

  • This publicly supported, non-profit 501(c)3 corporation is the umbrella organization which provides the network connecting all Oxford Houses and allocates resources to duplicate the Oxford House concept where needs arise.
  • In those situations, it is not uncommon for the Oxford House members, at a meeting, to strongly suggest that a fellow member seek professional help.
  • The only members who will ever be asked to leave an Oxford House are those who return to drinking, using drugs, or have disruptive behavior, including the nonpayment of rent.
  • A representative of each House in the Chapter meets with the others on a monthly basis, to exchange information, to seek resolution of problems in a particular House, and to express that Chapter’s vote on larger issues.
  • Oxford House was founded not only to put a roof over our head, but also to create a home where the disease of alcoholism was understood and the need for the alcoholic to stay away from the first drink was emphasized.
  • Oxford House has as its primary goal the provision of housing and rehabilitative support for the alcoholic or drug addict who wants to stop drinking or using and stay stopped.

Nearly all members of Oxford House utilize the AA and/or NA program in order to obtain and keep a comfortable sobriety. However, an Oxford House relies primarily upon example for assuring a high percentage of AA and/or NA attendance from its members. As a general rule formal AA or NA meetings are not held in an Oxford House member who has maintained comfortable sobriety in an Oxford House makes it a practice to attend a lot of AA and/or NA meetings on a regular basis. The only members who will ever be asked to leave an Oxford House are those who return to drinking, using drugs, or have disruptive behavior, including the nonpayment of rent. No Oxford House can tolerate the use of alcohol or drugs by one of its members because that threatens the sobriety of all of the members. Neither can an Oxford House function if some do not pay their fair share of the costs.

Self-run, Self-supported Recovery Houses

Oxford Houses flourish in metropolitan areas such as New York City and Washington D.C. And thrive in such diverse communities as Hawaii, Washington State, Canada and Australia; but they all abide by the basic criteria. Each House represents a remarkably effective and low cost method of preventing relapse.

oxford house traditions

Oxford Houses of South Carolina

oxford house traditions

In its simplest form, an Oxford House describes a democratically run, self-supporting and drug free home. Oxford House, Inc., a non-profit corporation, belongs to the residents of Oxford Houses nationwide. Residents democratically make their voices heard through the individual houses, the Chapters, the World Council and the Oxford House, Inc. The legacy of Oxford House is forever secure as long as the concept, Traditions and system of operations is assured by control of its members through participation in an effective democratic system of organization.

The Oxford House Organization

As our recovery progressed, the supervision and dependency on a half-way house created dissatisfaction. The dissatisfaction was in part the realization that we were shirking responsibility for our own lives and in part a resentment of authority. The third factor affecting us both in the rehabilitation facilities and the half-way houses was the realization that the duration of our stay must be limited because space must be made for others in need of help. The charter of each Oxford House requires that an Oxford House meet certain minimum requirements of Oxford House, Inc. First of all, no Oxford House may permit individuals to remain as members if those individuals are drinking or using drugs. Third, an Oxford House must, in essence be a good member of the community by obeying the laws and paying its bills.

Business meetings

oxford house traditions

In fact, Oxford House creates an environment whereby each member can more fully realize the benefits available from active AA or NA membership. By the time many of us had stopped drinking, we had lost jobs; we had lost families, and some of us either had no place to live or no place to live which was not an invitation to start drinking again. Oxford House was founded not only to put a roof over our head, but also to create a home where the disease of alcoholism oxford house traditions was understood and the need for the alcoholic to stay away from the first drink was emphasized. The bond that holds the group together is the desire to stop drinking and stay stopped. Modest rooms and living facilities can become luxurious suites when viewed from an environment of alcoholics working together for comfortable sobriety. During the last days of our drinking or using drugs, most of us ceased to function as responsible individuals.

  • See the Chapters Page for more information.The World Council is comprised of 12 members, 9 of which presently live in an Oxford House, 3 who are alumni.
  • Often several members of an existing House will move into the new House to provide a core group of new members who already know how an Oxford House works.
  • Chapters are important links in the effective democratic system of operation guiding Oxford House as a whole.
  • Once more applications are received than there are beds available, the members of any Oxford House will begin to look around for another suitable house.
  • One can only be dismissed from an Oxford House because of drinking, using drugs, non-payment of rent, or disruptive behavior.
  • Oxford House, Inc., a non-profit corporation, belongs to the residents of Oxford Houses nationwide.
  • The concept and the standardized, democratic, self-supported Oxford House system of operations itself are far more persuasive than any individual.
  • Those who have benefited from an Oxford House have acquired enthusiasm for the Oxford House concept.
  • The legacy of Oxford House is forever secure as long as the concept, Traditions and system of operations is assured by control of its members through participation in an effective democratic system of organization.
  • By the time many of us had stopped drinking, we had lost jobs; we had lost families, and some of us either had no place to live or no place to live which was not an invitation to start drinking again.

Oxford Houses of South Carolina