Communicable Disease Policies: Overview

It is important that recovery residence operators know and understand the importance of a Communicable Disease policy in recovery housing.

Recovery housing is a safe, healthy, and supportive environment for individuals in early recovery. This includes providing appropriate support for physical health, such as basic, common-sense steps to help to prevent the spread of any communicable disease within the recovery housing environment.

According to OhioMHAS’s Recovery Housing Development Guidebook, a recovery house organization should have their Policies and Procedures document on hand and easily accessible, and this document should include, among other policies, the Communicable Disease Policy.

(LEARN MORE about OhioMHAS Recovery Housing Development Guidebook https://www.ohiorecoveryhousing.org/_files/ugd/195f09_493eef92fb45423c80a9f820c90e3aa8.pdf)

Also, ORH requires certified recovery house organizations to have a policy concerning communicable disease that must contain the following elements:

• The home may have a separate policy related to COVID-19 or a combined communicable disease/COVID19 policy.
• Residents are notified of what behaviors may increase the spread of infectious disease.
• Residents are encouraged to take precautions for the spread of infectious disease including hand washing, regular cleaning of the common areas of the home, practicing physical distancing of at least six feet, not sharing personal items and eating utensils, and wearing face coverings.
• House provides supplies needed for precautions (such as soap, paper towels, gloves, face coverings, and cleaning supplies).
• Visitors to the home must wash their hands, only visit in designated areas, wear a face covering and maintain appropriate physical distancing.

A recovery home should support the resident, who has an illness, to speak with their health care provider and follow their medical advice.

But just as important, these policies must be supportive of recovery, and allow the residents to make and enforce rules themselves (depending on the house level).

At the end of this training you will be asked to upload a DRAFT of your Communicable Disease Prevention policy.