Utah has some of the strictest sober living home regulations in the United States.
Both addiction treatment centers and sober living homes - also known as recovery residences - must obtain a license to operate in Utah.
We’ve written before about what it takes to open an addiction treatment center in Utah, but today we’ll cover what goes into opening a sober living home in the Beehive State.
Understanding the Technical Definition of a Recovery Residence (AKA Sober Living Home) in Utah
Utah Code 62A-2-101(36) delineates Utah’s definition of a “recovery residence,” which is Utah’s official term for a sober living home or half-way home. The code contains a fairly basic outline with some quirks. In essence, the code states that recovery residences must meet at least two of the following five requirements to be considered a “recovery residence:” 1) offers a supervised environment for those in recovery from SUD, 2) at least half of residents are in recovery 3) arranges treatment for those in recovery from SUD on or off site 4) is “held out” as a sober living home where people can live together in recovery and/or 5) takes public funding and/or operates as a for-profit or non-profit venture.
Utah Administrative Code R501-18, Recovery Residence Services establishes the “basic health and safety standards” and “minimum administration requirements” for sober living homes in Utah.
Sober Living Homes in Utah Must be Licensed Before Opening
All sober living homes, with a few exceptions, must seek licensure with the Utah Department of Health and Human Services Licensing and Background Checks division. Utah categorizes these licenses as “human services type licenses” along with such entities as foster care programs, adult day care programs and therapeutic schools.
You can find the application for Utah sober living home licensing online. It’s a 17 page document that has many components. Set aside a significant amount of time to complete the application but know that a large portion of the application is simply a checklist to ensure that your policies and procedures manuals conform to Utah’s strict requirements. When completing the application, you’ll be asked many standard specifics about your program, as well as some unusual questions, like:
What potential conflicts of interest exist with your sober living home?
Have you already been denied DHS licensure?
Have you had your license revoked in the past 5 years?
Who will act as your “screening agents” for carrying out background screens according to Utah rules?
There are Four Steps to Applying for a Sober Living Home License in Utah
Getting licensed is a four-step process in Utah.
Step #1: Submit your application
Step #2: Submit additional paperwork to support your application
Step #3: Complete the necessary background checks
Step #4: Complete your safety inspection
Licensing Fees for Sober Living Homes in Utah are Unusually High
It costs $1295 to apply to become licensed in Utah. There is no per-bed fee, so this is a flat fee for all sober living homes regardless of size. Only Outdoor Youth Programs have higher fees in Utah. Nearly $1300 for an initial application fee is pretty steep in the United States for state sober living home licensing fees.
The List of Requirements for Licensing for Sober Living Homes in Utah is Very Long
Utah’s Recovery Residence Checklist is available online for anyone considering opening a sober living home to review during the planning phase. The checklist is 6 pages long and is very detailed. It is beyond the scope of this article to go over every requirement covered in this checklist but a few highlights are:
Sober living homes must “ensure that clients receive” supportive services such as vocational services, peer support, skills training and community resources
Sober living homes must maintain a list of all current residents
The recovery residence director must have a social services license or significant experience and education in recovery services
The director must maintain pretty elaborate hiring and training standards for anyone hired at the home
Daily on-site visits are required daily from the manager or director
The director or manager must make face-to-face or telephone meetings with each resident on a daily basis
The home must observe specific square footage requirements: a minimum of 60 square feet per resident
Anyone preparing shared meals must have a food handlers’ card
Menus must be made available upon request
There must be enough seating at the dinner table to accommodate all residents
In addition to these requirements, Utah levies more standard requirements, such as:
Basic fire code requirements
Medicine lock-up rules
Policy and procedure manuals
Client’s rights information
Reporting requirements
Discharge requirements
Intake application and assessment criteria
No treatment allowed in recovery residences without an additional addiction treatment license
Be Aware That There is a New Funding Option for Utah Sober Living Homes
It can be difficult to find funding to help with opening a sober living home in many states. This is not necessarily the case in Utah. If you’re looking to open a sober living home, take note of the HEAR Program. In 2022, Utah’s Department of Human Services launched a $4 million dollar grant initiative for addiction treatment programs called the Health, Exercise and Addiction Recovery (HEAR) Program.
Helpful Links for Utah Sober Living Home Operators
List of treatment facilities in Utah
Understanding National Regulations on Sober Living Homes in the United States Part 1
Understanding National Regulations on Sober Living Homes in the United States Part 2
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