How to Report a Sober Living House

Even though a sober living house is actually designed to provide a safe and supportive environment for those who are undergoing recovery from addiction of drugs or alcohol, it seems that the problems will likely occur due to many factors accompanying it. These structured houses ideally give them support to keep them calm, but unfortunately not all do.

In fact, not all sober living houses have the ability to create a quiet environment for their residents; some may experience problems. If you’re worried about a sober living house and find a lot of irregularities there, making a report is necessary. Let’s find the guide to reporting a sober living house below!

Reporting a Sober Living House When Problems May Occur; Here’s How!

A sober living house must be a place of rehabilitation for those who are addicted to drugs or alcohol. If it’s the other way around, the function of a sober living house should be questioned—addicts may be more free to use drugs under bad supervision.

There is no doubt that troubled sober living houses may not serve as a proper place to live for those recovering from addiction. Thus, you have to report this to the authorities so that the problems can be properly resolved and the sober living house runs as it should.

Here’s how to report a sober living house when problems occur!

Step 1: Collect information related

All you have to do before reporting a sober living house is collect as much information as possible about the circumstances of the sober living house you have concerns about. It may include the house’s name and address, the owner or manager, and any specific information concerns you have.

Step 2: Contact the authorities

The authorities here are the appropriate agency that is responsible for supervising a sober living house. If you’re confused about how to do so, you can start by contacting your local government or health department to find out which agency you have to contact first.

Step 3: Make a report

If you’ve already collected information and have accurate evidence, you can then make a report outlining your concerns. Make sure to include all relevant information. There are several options for which agency you can contact to report a sober living house when any problems may occur there. Here they are:

1. Visit the management of a sober living house in person

You can directly visit the management or staff of a sober living house about your concerns if you feel comfortable doing so. If they’re welcoming, they may accept your concerns, address the issue, and make changes.

2. Report to a regulatory agency

A sober living house is under the jurisdiction of a regulatory agency that is responsible for oversight, depending on the location of the sober living house. To report your concerns, you have to look for the appropriate agency near your area.

3. Contact a support group

There are so many groups that really support people who are undergoing drug or alcohol recovery. If they know that there are problems in a sober living house, they may provide resources to address the problems and help resolve them. The support groups you can contact are like Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous.

4. Notify law enforcement

This is the last option only if you really suspect that there are illegal activities going on or dangerous behavior at a sober living house. If so, you really need to contact law enforcement as soon as possible.

Step 4: Follow up on your report

Once you’ve reported a sober living house, you may need to follow up with the agency to make sure that your concerns are being addressed. You can do it by checking in with any local support groups or advocacy organizations that work with sober living houses to see if they may offer any additional support or guidance.

Well, these are the step-by-step you can take to report a sober living house when you have concerns on a certain serious problem occurring at.

Reporting problems in a sober living house can really help overcome other dangerous problems that might occur in the future. However, this act could be a serious matter, and it will really need important steps to be approached with care and sensitivity.

What Kinds of Problems May Occur at a Sober Living House?

There are some potential problems that may likely occur at a sober living house. Here are a few examples:

• Relapse

The risk of relapse is one of the biggest problems that may occur at a sober living house. The individuals who undergo recovery from addiction—particularly they have not yet developed the coping skills necessary to maintain their sobriety—may still be tempted to use drugs and alcohol even in a supportive environment.

• Disobedient to rules

Typically, sober living houses have strict rules, such as a ban on drugs and alcohol, a curfew, and mandatory attendance at support group meetings. Of course, some residents may struggle to obey these rules. Of course, these can trigger conflicts within the household.

• Poor management

A sober living house will usually be run by a manager or owner. If they supervise it under poor management, it can lead to a range of problems, such as poor living conditions, inadequate supervision, or a lack of support for residents.

• Disruptive behaviour

For those who are not used to living close to other people, it may be a very hard challenge to serve it out. Some may engage in disruptive behavior such as stealing, fighting, or violating other residents’ privacy.

• Mental health issues

There is no doubt that most of the individuals who are in recovery from addiction will struggle with mental health issues, such as anxiety or depression. If those issues are not properly resolved, they may lead to problems within the sober living house.

Those are some problems that may occur at a sober living house. Keep in mind, however, that not all sober living houses will experience these problems. There are still many well-managed sober living houses that provide a supportive and safe environment for residents. If you’re one of the residents at a sober living house, you should always be aware of these potential issues that may happen some day.

Rules and Regulations for Living in a Sober Living House That You Should Follow

If you decide to live at a sober living house in an attempt to recover from your addiction to drugs or alcohol, it’s very important for you to learn and know what rules and regulations to obey. A few reasons why these houses have strict rules are to help people’s recovery process, to support people in building sober lifestyles, and also to keep every resident safe.

The following are the rules and regulations that most sober living houses may have:

• Drugs and alcohol are not allowed to be used, except with certain prescriptions, such as antidepressants.
• There is an appropriate fee to be paid by the residents.
• Residents should participate in household activities, such as regular house chores and weekly meetings.
• Residents must have a plan to undergo therapy at least once per week since they have to complete the detox and rehabilitation processes.
• Residents are always willing to participate in random drug and alcohol checks.
• Residents have to sleep at least five nights at a sober living house.
• When residents are not on the property, they are accountable for their whereabouts.
• Residents should adhere to the house’s curfew but are not allowed to have overnight guests.
• Pets are not allowed in a sober living house.
• Residents should respect other people involved such as housemates, staff, and manager or owner.

These are some rules and regulations that you have to obey. However, each sober living house will have certain rules, depending on the manager or location. If you’re looking for a house, it’ll be better for you to ask each potential recovery home what their rules are. Although you live in a sober living house, you will feel at home as long as you follow its rules and regulations.