Move-In Evaluation and Criteria

The NARR Standards are clear that recovery home operators should assess each potential resident’s needs to determine whether the level of support offered by the recovery home is appropriate.

In an ORH certified recovery home, the house must ensure that residents are offered the appropriate level of support by following the home’s resident evaluation and move-in criteria. These clear and measurable criteria must be met to ensure that recovery homes are appropriately assessing individuals’ needs and offering the level of support that is most supportive to the resident’s recovery.

It is the obligation of all recovery residence owners/operators and staff to value and respect each resident and to put everyone’s recovery and needs at the forefront of all decision-making.

In Level III homes, residents have less than 14 days of continuous recovery from use of alcohol or illicit substances, or residents have more time without using alcohol or illicit substances but are lacking sufficient recovery capital, or residents have not yet developed the appropriate skills needed to live in an environment that is not supervised.

In Level III homes have a supervised level of support, where staff are present in the home whenever residents are present and offer more intensive recovery planning supports. The home must provide a documented plan for how the resident is going to be supported to ensure their recovery success, including those residents who need off-site clinical treatment levels of care. But remember, Level III recovery homes are considered a housing setting and not a treatment setting.

In Level II homes, residents with 28 or more days in recovery may be permitted to move into the home, as long as they meet all of the other criteria of the home. The home must also provide a documented plan for how the resident is going to be provided with additional supports to ensure their recovery success.

Residents in a Level I must have at least six months of sustained recovery from use of illicit substances or alcohol. Level I homes are run by the residents who are living in the house. Consequently, the residents must be able to monitor their own recovery, but also be at a place in their personal recovery journey where they can monitor and support others and the recovery environment within the home. Residents must demonstrate sufficient recovery capital, either through a recovery capital assessment, a letter of reference or a document from a previous stay in another recovery home that demonstrates that they have engaged in appropriate recovery planning.