Author: Charles Frank

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. Some longed for the “old days” when there were fewer houses and the combined group of houses were smaller. Others recognized that the success of Oxford House made it clear that there would be more and more houses and there was no turning back the clock.

1. The Oxford House concept is a sound one, based on sound principles, and has demonstrated its worth with an established track record.
2. All Oxford Houses have been careful to avoid undo dependence on government or other outside funds.
3. At a time when we acquired a serious desire to stop drinking or using drugs, many of us had lost our families and friends because of our alcoholism and/or drug addiction.

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Any member who drinks alcohol or uses drugs will be immediately expelled. You will usually pay a nonrefundable fee, plus payment for your first two weeks, and you can move in. If you are not selected, you should try another house that has an opening.

Business meetings

When we stopped drinking or using drugs, we began to realize just how dependent we had become. For those of us who had been in institutions or half-way houses, resentments against authority were common. Mr. Molloy and the other residents devised the basic rules of self-government that have shaped Oxford House ever since. Second, every resident would contribute equally to the expenses and household duties. Oxford Houses are democratically self-run by the residents who elect officers to serve for terms of six months.

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. All they need to do is to find a house to rent in the name of the group, and apply to Oxford House, Inc., for a charter. Any recovering alcoholic or drug addict can apply to get into any Oxford House by filling out an application and being interviewed by the existing members of the House. The application is then considered by the membership of the House and if 80% of the members approve, the applicant is accepted and moves in. If an applicant does not get voted into one house they should try another house in the area.

Here’s how to apply.

There may also be a need to buy more “staples” such as flour, sugar, coffee, etc. when a House starts up. Every Oxford House member attributes his sobriety to Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous. Each Oxford House member, as an individual, considers himself a member of AA and/or NA. “We found that participants assigned to a communal living Oxford House compared to usual care condition had significantly less substance use and criminal involvement and, significantly better employment outcomes.”

Acceptance

Some are able to keep from drinking in spite of the loneliness with which they were faced. The alcoholic or drug addict alone begins to compare himself to those members of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous who still have family and friends. Loneliness and self-pity soon lead such individuals back to alcoholic drinking or drug use. With Oxford House there is no need for a recovering individual to live in an environment dominated by loneliness. At the Oxford House World Convention held annually, Oxford Houses throughout the country vote for representatives to the World Council.

The average number of times an Oxford House resident has been through prior treatment is three, but for about a quarter of residents their Oxford House residency is after their first treatment episode. Things that I have learned through AA and Oxford House are an attitude of gratitude, acceptance, love, forgiveness, compassion, and the willingness to take that next step. Oxford House gave me the opportunity to practice the principles and action. Generally an individual comes into an Oxford House following a 28-day rehabilitation program or at least a 5 to 10 day detoxification program.

The World Council is comprised of 12 members, 9 of which presently live in an Oxford House, 3 who are alumni. In 1975, a tight budget in Montgomery County, Maryland led to a decision to close one of the four county-run halfway houses. The thirteen men living in the halfway house rented the building and decided to run it themselves. They immediately decided to change the rule that limited a stay to six months because they had witnessed that when a person was required to leave because the time was up they almost always relapsed within thirty days of leaving. That was an important change because recovering individuals take different lengths of time to become comfortable enough in sobriety to avoid relapse. During our drinking and drug use years, and even before, many of us found it difficult to accept authority.

Propagation, or spreading the word, of the Oxford House concept is given the highest priority by the members of Oxford House.

Oxford Houses work because they are:

View and download the latest House and Chapter Manuals, along with other forms used to conduct weekly house meetings. There’s no time limit on how long a member can live in an Oxford House. The average stay is about a year, but many members stay three, four, or more years.

A major part of the Oxford House philosophy is that dependency is best overcome through an acceptance of responsibility. In Oxford House, each member equally shares the responsibility for the running of the House and upholding the Oxford House tradition. All aspects of Oxford House operations, from the acquisition of the house to the acceptance or dismissal of members, is carried out under democratic procedures. Each member has one vote and majority rule applies except that 80% of the members must agree in accepting new persons for membership. At any given time there are about 2,000 Oxford House residents who have served in the military.