NARR’s Four Levels of Support
The National Alliance of Recovery Residences (NARR) recognizes four Levels of Support for recovery housing.
While all recovery homes share distinctive features that make them recovery homes such a resident driven length of stay, homelike environment, integration of peer support and recovery services, and recovery community engagement, the NARR Levels of Support provide guidance for how recovery homes can support people who may have different needs depending on their journey in recovery. View chart: NAAR Four Levels of Support
In Level I homes the resident self-identifies as in recovery, some long-term, with peer-community accountability. There is no onsite-staffing except for recovery plans, screenings, or to fix something. Level I houses have peer to peer support, and are democratically run by the residents.
In Level II homes the typical resident has a stable recovery but wishes to have a more structured, peer accountable and supportive living environment. Resident house manager(s) are often compensated by free or reduced rent. Residents participate in house governance with staff/recovery residence operator.
Level III homes offer a higher supervised level of support with structured daily schedule and life skills supports, where staff are present in the home whenever residents are present, such as a paid house manager, administrative support, certified peer recovery support service provider.
Level IV homes, in Ohio, are considered a residential treatment facility and require clinical oversight or monitoring.
Level I, II, and III recovery homes can achieve a quality certification from Ohio Recovery Housing (ORH), whereas a Level IV must be licensed by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS).
The NARR Code of Ethics is clear that recovery home operators should assess each potential residents’ needs to determine whether the Level of Support offered by the recovery home is appropriate.
(LEARN MORE Download the NARR Code of Ethics https://narronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/NARR_Ethics_Code_final_July-2016.pdf)
(LEARN MORE Download the SAMSHA Best Practice for Recovery Houses https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep23-10-00-002.pdf)
Let’s dig deeper into the four levels.