Common Language

Due to marketplace fragmentation, different recovery residences have historically been called other things in various communities across time. Most have been developed by local individuals responding to local needs and within local and state restrictions, which can differ from region to region. Plus, the spectrum of recovery residence options can be found, to varying degrees, at the intersections of housing, recovery support, and in some cases, addiction treatment, meaning they exist within overlapping policies.

This can lead to confusion for consumers, referral agents, and providers, which is why there has been a national movement towards developing a common language and definitions. This lesson explores terms and invites you to adopt the use of a common language, especially when you are speaking to broader audiences. At the same time, we recognized that you might choose to continue to use colloquial terms when communicating within your local area because they locally have an established and specific meaning.

This lesson looks at:

• Language
• Definitions