There are roughly 926,000 individuals in Ohio who suffer from untreated Substance Use Disorder (SUD).
Studies completed by The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers found that recovery housing in the state of Ohio is sorely lacking, especially for single and two-parent families, people with criminal histories and people with co-occurring disorders.
Like other states, Ohio struggles with affordable housing inventory, which further impacts the sober living home industry in the state.
The good news is that the state of Ohio has created more resources than most states (looking at you, Florida and California) on how to open a sober living home or recovery housing community within state lines. Ohio is also very friendly to sober living home operators who balk at state licensure and registration.
Read on for more information about opening a sober living home in the state of Ohio.
Ohio Does Not Require Private Sober Living Home Operators to Get any State Licensure or Certifications
According to Section 340.034 of the Ohio Revised Code, updated in 2017, no sober living home will be required to obtain licensure or certification in order to operate in the state of Ohio.
The pertinent sections are here:
(A) The recovery housing shall not be subject to residential facility licensure by the department of mental health and addiction services under section 5119.34 of the Revised Code.
(B) The recovery housing shall not be subject to certification as a recovery support under section 5119.36 of the Revised Code.
This is a breath of fresh air for readers who will recognize that not every state is so laissez-faire about sober living home regulations.
Ohio Draws a Sharp Distinction Between Sober Living and Treatment with the Three Levels of Sober Living Homes Allowed in Ohio
Like most states, Ohio is clear about sober living is not - treatment.
If you are wanting to provide treatment along with residential services, you will have to get your business certified by the Ohio Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) or “demonstrate [that] the residence has received appropriate accreditation” from an entity like CARF.
Ohio classifies sober living homes into three categories or “levels.” They are:
Level 1: Peer led homes with no staff. Typically referred to as the “Oxford Model.”
Level 2: Homes with at least one staff member, sober living home manager or live-in owner-operator.
Level 3: Highly structured homes, often overseen by a clinical organization. Community providers may also provide services at the home.
Absent from all of these? Proper Drug and Alcohol Treatment, including treatment planning, medication management, counseling or group counseling. Informal life skills coaching and day-to-day recovery lifestyle support is typically OK.
Definitely Make Use of the Handy Guides That Ohio Has Created for Sober Living Home Operators
At Sober Living App, we wish every state had resources like Ohio does for sober living home operators. Ohio has actually put some effort into helping you open your sober living home! It’s refreshing to see a state step up and meet sober living home operators half way as we provide this vital resource to the community.
Definitely check out the Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services Recovery Housing Development Guidebook for a thorough run-down of what it takes to open a sober living home in the state. This resource was developed as a supplement to the OhioMHAS Quality Housing Criteria, which will be useful to you if you intend to receive state funding (such as subsidized housing vouchers) at your sober living home.
The Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services Recovery Housing Development Guidebook lists all of the considerations you’ll want to make before opening your doors to residents. They include important steps like:
Making a Business plan
Developing a Budget
Developing an Organizational structure
Creating a Mission statement
Obtaining an EIN
Completing State Business Registration
Opening Business bank account
Creating Fiscal policies
Buying Insurance
Completing annual fire and safety inspections
You’ll also want to check out the Recovery Housing Project Toolkit, also created by the state of Ohio. This extremely valuable resource dives into practical considerations like property selection, inspections, due diligence, maintenance, improvements and upgrades. They’ve even included helpful checklists of questions to pose to potential architects, contractors and property managers to aid in the screening process.
Survey the Existing Sober Living Home Community Landscape Before Taking the Plunge in Ohio
Another important document to check out as you are considering opening a sober living home in Ohio is the Recovery Housing in the State of Ohio report compiled by The Ohio Council of Behavioral Health and Family Services Providers. This extremely thorough report details the contours of the sober living home “scene” in Ohio state, noting many different opportunities for further development.
Another great resource to check out is local state NARR affiliate, Ohio Recovery Housing.
Need Help With Your Sober Living Home? 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.