Good news, Mississippi: there are very few rules and regulations to get in your way as you are planning to open your sober living home! There is no certification or licensing program that applies to sober living homes in the state, nor are there any signs that upcoming regulations are on the way in the state legislature. Regardless of whether you’re thinking of opening a men’s recovery residence, a women’s recovery residence, a Christian sober living home or some other type of recovery residence, it’s unlikely that you’ll need to seek certification or licensure in Mississippi.
Today, let’s answer some of the most commonly asked questions operators have as they are considering adding recovery housing to the state of Mississippi.
Neither Sober Living Homes Nor Addiction Treatment Centers in Mississippi Must be Certified or Licensed in Order to Operate
There is no certification program for sober living homes in Mississippi, regardless of the size, scope or nature of the facility. All sober living homes - residential homes that do not offer treatment or other medical care - are exempt from any regulations that don’t also apply to typical residential housing in Mississippi.
You may also be surprised to know that Mississippi doesn’t require certification for most addiction treatment centers, either.
There are a few exceptions to this rule. Mississippi does require certification for:
Community-based agencies that offer addiction treatment
Community mental health centers that offer addiction treatment
Organizations that take grants from the Mississippi Department of Mental Health
Addiction treatment organizations that accept Medicaid
There is very little indication that regulations of either sober living or addiction treatment facilities are on the horizon in Mississippi, although national trends suggest that this is likely to change in the future.
Sober Living Homes in Mississippi Must Pass a Basic Congregate Living Inspection
According to a study completed by the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon entitled, “National Overview of Recovery Housing Accreditation Legislation and Licensing,” there are a few requirements that sober living homes in Mississippi do need to address before opening their doors to residents.
They are:
Basic congregate living inspection
Proof of Housing Quality Standards inspection
Proof of annual fire inspection
You can learn more about the Housing Quality Standards inspection, or HQS, here. Fire inspections can be ordered from your local fire department.
In Mississippi, Sober Living Homes are Not Considered “Chemical Dependency Units” or “Personal Care Homes”
It is important to note that sober living homes are not categorized by the state of Mississippi as chemical dependency units or personal care homes. These types of facilities are held to different and higher standards than sober living homes in the state.
Sober living homes are not chemical dependency units because they do not provide any form of addiction treatment services on-site. They are purely residential facilities protected by ADA laws designed to ensure equal access to housing regardless of disability.
Sober living homes in Mississippi are also not considered personal care homes. This is because they are not “assisted living” homes that provide assistance with daily living tasks, sometimes called “ADLs.” For example, there is no assistance with bathing, walking, feeding, grooming, dressing, etc in a sober living home.
NIMBYism is an Issue for Mississippi Sober Living Homes
Although there is very little legal rationale for the opposition facing sober living homes in residentially zoned areas in Mississippi, NIMBY sentiment is still a notable presence for many sober living homes in the state.
For example, 1st Step Sober Living in Tupelo, Mississippi faced NIMBY opposition when it opened an eight bed facility in a residential neighborhood. In another instance of NIMBY interference, an Oxford Home in Jackson, Mississippi faced strong opposition to renting from a private landlord in a residential neighborhood. While none of these protests ultimately seem to have stopped the homes from operating legally in their chosen locations, the resistance did lead to increased scrutiny from the housing inspectors in at least one case.
There is No National Association for Recovery Residences State Affiliate in Mississippi
Mississippi does not yet have a fully developed NARR affiliate. As of now, the state’s status is listed as “development in progress” on the NARR website.
This means that there are sober living home community members who are speaking with NARR and working on forming a state affiliate presently, but that they have not yet fully completed the process and opened their doors to new members.
Helpful Links for Sober Living Home Operators in Mississippi
Pros and Cons of Opening an Addiction Treatment Center in Mississippi
List of Treatment Facilities in Mississippi
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