Oxford House
Encyclopedia
The term Oxford House may refer to any house operating under the "Oxford House Model", a community-based approach to addiction
treatment, which attempts to provide an independent, supportive, and sober
living environment. Today there are more than 1000 Oxford Houses in the United States and other countries. Each house is based on 3 primary rules:
Equal Expense Shared (EES) is generally between 80 to 100 dollars a week and includes utilities. A certain number of AA meetings a week may be mandatory. Weekly business meetings are mandatory to discuss any issues that the house may be facing. It is at these meetings that checks are written for bills and residents are made aware of where they stand financially.
The first Oxford House was opened in Silver Spring
, Maryland
in 1975 by Paul Molloy. Molloy had been a Senate committee staff member between 1967 and 1972. He sought treatment for his alcoholism
in a halfway house
in 1975. Later that year, the halfway house would close due to financial difficulty, and Molloy and the other residents took over the lease. They chose the name Oxford House in recognition of Oxford Group
, a religious organization that influenced the founders of AA.
Oxford House residents who are "voted out" of the House are required to leave the premises within one-half hour.
's Center for Community Research, led by Dr. Leonard A. Jason
, has been involved in an extensive research study of Oxford House since 1988. It was found that the characteristics of people living in an Oxford House did not vary significantly from people in other substance abuse programs. The primary reason cited for moving into an Oxford House was companionship and the enforcement of a sober living environment. Approximately 3/4 of the residents involved in the study were involved with the Alcoholics Anonymous
program. The average stay was about 175 days, and over a two year period 69% of those interviewed self-reported that they stayed in the house or left on good terms. The paper specifically stated the opinion that
"These findings suggest that the Oxford House model, in comparison to those who solely attend twelve-step programs, might be more effective in empowering residents in their ongoing abstinence in a way that enhances the perception of control in their lives."
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
treatment, which attempts to provide an independent, supportive, and sober
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
living environment. Today there are more than 1000 Oxford Houses in the United States and other countries. Each house is based on 3 primary rules:
- Do not use drugsDRUGSDestroy Rebuild Until God Shows are an American post-hardcore band formed in 2010. They released their debut self-titled album on February 22, 2011.- Formation :...
or alcoholAlcoholIn chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
and do not be disruptive - The House must be run democratically
- Pay your Equal Expense Shared (EES) or any fines
Equal Expense Shared (EES) is generally between 80 to 100 dollars a week and includes utilities. A certain number of AA meetings a week may be mandatory. Weekly business meetings are mandatory to discuss any issues that the house may be facing. It is at these meetings that checks are written for bills and residents are made aware of where they stand financially.
The first Oxford House was opened in Silver Spring
Silver Spring, Maryland
Silver Spring is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States. It had a population of 71,452 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth most populous place in Maryland, after Baltimore, Columbia, and Germantown.The urbanized, oldest, and...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
in 1975 by Paul Molloy. Molloy had been a Senate committee staff member between 1967 and 1972. He sought treatment for his alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
in a halfway house
Halfway house
The purpose of a halfway house, also called a recovery house or sober house, is generally to allow people to begin the process of reintegration with society, while still providing monitoring and support; this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism or relapse when compared to a...
in 1975. Later that year, the halfway house would close due to financial difficulty, and Molloy and the other residents took over the lease. They chose the name Oxford House in recognition of Oxford Group
Oxford Group
The Oxford Group was a Christian movement that had a following in Europe, China, Africa, Australia, Scandinavia and America in the 1920s and 30s. It was initiated by an American Lutheran pastor, Frank Buchman, who was of Swiss descent...
, a religious organization that influenced the founders of AA.
The Oxford House Traditions
- TRADITION ONE: 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.
- TRADITION TWO: All Oxford Houses are run on a democratic basis. Our officers are but trusted servants serving continuous periods of no longer than six months in any one office.
- TRADITION THREE: No member of an Oxford House is ever asked to leave without cause -- a dismissal vote by the membership because of drinking, drug use, or disruptive behavior.
- TRADITION FOUR: Oxford House is not affiliated with Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
and Narcotics AnonymousNarcotics AnonymousNarcotics Anonymous is a twelve-step program modeled after Alcoholics Anonymous describing itself as a "fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem," and it is the second-largest 12-step organization...
, organizationally or financially, but Oxford House members realize that only active participation in Alcoholics Anonymous and/or Narcotics Anonymous offers assurance of continued sobriety. - TRADITION FIVE: Each Oxford House should be autonomous except in matters affecting other houses or Oxford House, Inc., as a whole.
- TRADITION SIX: Each Oxford House should be financially self-supporting although financially secure houses may, with approval or encouragement of Oxford House, Inc., provide new or financially needy houses a loan for a term not to exceed one year.
- TRADITION SEVEN: Oxford House should remain forever non-professional, although individual members may be encouraged to utilize outside professionals whenever such utilization is likely to enhance recovery from alcoholism.
- TRADITION EIGHT: Propagation of the Oxford House, Inc. concept should always be conceived as public education rather than promotion. Principles should always be placed before personalities.
- TRADITION NINE: Members who leave an Oxford House in good standing are encouraged to become associate members and offer friendship, support, and example to newer members.
Oxford House residents who are "voted out" of the House are required to leave the premises within one-half hour.
Business Meetings
Business meetings are the core of any Oxford House. All decisions are made based upon a vote by all members of the house. A typical Oxford House has five positions with specific duties; however, each person still has only one vote. These positions are:- President: Calls the meeting to order, directs the meeting, moderates discussion, and closes the meeting.
- Treasurer: Is responsible for keeping a financial accounting for all matters involving the house. This includes the house's current resources and any bills that must be paid.
- Comptroller: Keeps an accurate account of the amount of money each person owes to the house each week. The "comptroller's report" is read openly each meeting.
- Chore Coordinator: Assigns weekly chores to each member of the house. Also reports on any fines, for violating the House rules,that have been written that week, and discusses any general housekeeping matters that need to be attended to.
- Secretary: Keeps a record of the minutes of each meeting. Reads the minutes from the previous week at the beginning of each meeting.
DePaul University Research on Oxford House
DePaul UniversityDePaul University
DePaul University is a private institution of higher education and research in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by the Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from the 17th century French priest Saint Vincent de Paul...
's Center for Community Research, led by Dr. Leonard A. Jason
Leonard A. Jason
Leonard A. Jason is a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, where he also directs the Center for Community Research. He received a B.A. in psychology from Brandeis University in 1971 and a Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Rochester in 1975...
, has been involved in an extensive research study of Oxford House since 1988. It was found that the characteristics of people living in an Oxford House did not vary significantly from people in other substance abuse programs. The primary reason cited for moving into an Oxford House was companionship and the enforcement of a sober living environment. Approximately 3/4 of the residents involved in the study were involved with the Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
program. The average stay was about 175 days, and over a two year period 69% of those interviewed self-reported that they stayed in the house or left on good terms. The paper specifically stated the opinion that
"These findings suggest that the Oxford House model, in comparison to those who solely attend twelve-step programs, might be more effective in empowering residents in their ongoing abstinence in a way that enhances the perception of control in their lives."