NARR Regulations and Updates for New York, Pennsylvania, and Illinois Sober Living Homes

New York state gains an emerging NARR affiliate, but still no licensing regulation for sober living homes

New York is one of the states that recently gained an “emerging” NARR affiliate, called NYSARR, or the New York State Alliance of Recovery Residences.

Would-be sober living home operators in New York will be pleased to learn that New York is still considered a low-regulation environment. To date, there are still no mandatory certifications or licenses that a sober living home must maintain in order to operate in the state.

However, there continue to be ongoing attempts to introduce legislation that would place regulations and restrictions on sober living home operators in New York. These include:

• New York Assembly Bill 929, introduced in 2020, which has not passed

• New York Senate Bill 4697, which died in committee circa 2018

• New York Senate Bill 2681, which died in committee circa 2014

• New York Assembly Bill 6369, which died in 2017

For more on sober living home planning, management, and strategy in New York, see our post on New York NARR State Affiliate Guide.

Illinois is a battleground state for regulation, but so far sober living homes still need no certification or licensing in the state

Illinois’ NARR affiliate, the Illinois Association of Extended Care, or IAEC, is unusual in that it also certifies extended care homes. Membership fees are $100 per home, or $300 for multiple sites.

The state of Illinois has long declined to regulate sober living homes despite ongoing NIMBY pushback, however, in 2019, the state created a sober living home registry maintained by the Illinois Department of Human Services. This registry is entirely voluntary, and homes can request to be added to the registry regardless of their certification status with IAEC. Creation of a registry, whether voluntary or mandatory, is typically understood to be the first step towards more robust scrutiny and regulation.

For more on sober living home regulations, legislation, and strategy in Illinois, see: How to Open a Sober Living Home in Illinois. If you’re already operating in Illinois, consider checking out our update on Medicaid CPT codes for Peer Support Services in Illinois. Illinois Medicaid began accepting Peer Support Services in 2023. Many homes which previously have been unable to access Medicaid dollars are adding Peer Support Services in order to improve their access to this reliable income stream.

Pennsylvania requires sober living homes to seek certification in order to receive state funding and referrals

Pennsylvania does not require sober living homes to be certified, however, the state does restrict state funding and state-funded referrals to certified sober living homes. Illinois Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs runs this optional licensing program. Pennsylvania has codified NARR standards into law for sober living homes seeking certification. In 2023, there were over 300 recovery residences licensed and registered in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania also requires certified sober living homes be entered into a state-run registry in order to track the state’s network of sober living homes, and possibly enact further legislation and regulations at a later date.

In addition to state regulations, there are a few city-level - aka municipal - regulations that exist for sober living homes in Pennsylvania. You can read about Pottstown’s proposed local sober home regulations.

The NARR affiliate in Pennsylvania is called PARR, the Pennsylvania Association of Recovery Residences.

For more on sober living business development in Pennsylvania, see How to Open a Sober Living Home Business in Pennsylvania.

Operating a Sober Living Home in Pennsylvania, Illinois, or New York? We’re Here for You

Sober Living App is dedicated to doing one thing: making it easier - and more profitable - to operate sober living homes.

Our all-in-one app handles rent collection, admissions, property management, residents’ care coordination, community contacts, transportation details, calendars, staff, alumni and more - all from the convenience of your phone.

Claim your free trial today and see why more sober living homes prefer the Sober Living App.