Kentucky Sober Living Homes

What Are Sober Living Homes in Kentucky?

Kentucky sober living homes are residences providing drug and alcohol-free living arrangements for persons who have completed a drug addiction treatment program. Kentucky law sets the requirements and standards for operating transitional housing in Kentucky. Also, the Kentucky Recovery Housing Network (KRHN) provides ethical practice, training, standards, and information resources for recovery residence providers.
These community residences do not have the license to provide clinical or medical services to residents. Instead, the purpose of sober living homes in Kentucky is to separate persons in recovery from environments or situations where they may encounter drugs and provide relapse prevention resources. Sober living homes generally have house rules for residents and organize activities that strengthen residents' sobriety while maintaining the structure of daily life.

Daily Life in Kentucky Sober Living Homes

Daily life for someone living in a Kentucky sober living home typically starts with house chores. Many residents, especially those in day outpatient rehab, visit their addiction recovery specialists for individual therapy.
Afternoons are mostly free, as residents go to work, find work, or engage in community service. Nights typically begin with dinner preparations, continue with a 12-step or house meeting, and end with enough free time for residents to socialize or prepare for the next day.
These daily activities give the residents a sense of purpose and bring routine and structure into their lives. Although there is no limit to how long a person may stay in a sober living home, each day brings them closer to independent living without drugs.

How to Increase Your Chances of Staying Sober While in Kentucky Sober Living

Residents who abide by the guidelines of the sober living home have a greater chance of sustaining their sobriety.
Residents may increase their likelihood of staying sober by participating in house meetings, therapies, and counseling sessions. These activities promote a healthy routine while providing a means for the residents to succeed in sobriety.
Some sober living homes in Kentucky also organize skills training and provide job resources to facilitate self-reliance. In addition, sober living houses encourage their residents to take on a new sport or engage in activities such as volunteering within the community that can add value.

When to Move Into a Sober Living Home in Kentucky

It depends. Sober living homes do not have hard requirements for admission, but most encourage residents to have completed or be enrolled in a formal rehab program before moving in.
So, a person who has at least completed supervised detox can move into a sober living home. Likewise, persons who have completed a short residential or inpatient rehab program can move into a sober living home, especially if they need a support system.

Sober Living Programs vs. Halfway Houses in Kentucky

Sober living programs and halfway houses are alike in purpose. Both support persons transitioning to living in a drug-free environment. Residents also have responsibilities assigned to them during their stay, similar to a family home.
But despite their similarities, sober living programs and halfway houses differ in many ways. The key differences are in the mode of entry into the program, ownership of the residence, staff qualification, length of stay, and privacy.

Mode of Entry Into the Program

Halfway homes only provide residence for persons who received substance abuse treatment during incarceration and are exiting a correctional facility. The courts may also mandate a person to live in a halfway house. In contrast, sober homes accept everyone who needs a drug-free environment to transition to post-rehab life. Generally, there are no hard requirements for entry, but space is limited.

Ownership of the Residence

Sober living houses in Kentucky are typically owned by independent treatment facilities, non-profit substance abuse support programs, or private individuals. On the other hand, it is common for halfway houses to be affiliated with state agencies.

Staff Qualification

Staff in sober living homes are typically older residents who have completed addiction treatment or have informal experience supporting persons in recovery. Thus, Kentucky sober living homes cannot legally provide treatment services. On the other hand, staff of halfway houses typically have some formal training in providing support for addiction recovery. And although the staff cannot offer formal treatment services, halfway houses are affiliated with centers that do.

Length of Stay

Sober living homes do not have a specific time frame for housemates to live in the facility. Housemates may stay for as long as they deem fit necessary; they may also leave at any time. On the other hand, there is a limit on a resident's stay in a halfway house, usually three to 12 months. Also, residents, especially those at the residence by court order, cannot leave the halfway house until they have met the conditions of their stay.

Privacy

Generally, halfway houses are built like dorms. Residents share rooms, amenities, and common areas. On the other hand, sober living facilities offer more privacy. Despite a structured living arrangement, there are fewer persons per room and residents typically have more privacy. However, this arrangement makes sober living houses the pricer option.

Types of Kentucky Sober Living Homes (Levels of Support)

In Kentucky, there are various levels of support -privately owned or state-funded- that a person can use after an inpatient rehab treatment. These facilities, although similar, differ in the assistance they offer their residents.

Halfway Houses

Halfway houses provide transitional living arrangements for persons in recovery from substance addiction. Its residents consist of persons just released from incarceration, are homeless, or mandated by a court order. Halfway houses allow their occupants more freedom than a residential or inpatient treatment program. So residents can school or work outside while living in the facility.
In addition, halfway houses provide structure and policies to help residents remain sober. For instance, occupants must attend 12-step meetings and submit to random drug testing. Some halfway facilities provide medical and mental health services to their residents.

Transitional Housing

Transitional housing provides temporary accommodation and supportive treatment for persons in recovery who are homeless or seeking employment. Persons who need some stability or a temporary safe space to improve their commitment to sobriety are also welcome here.
Some transitional homes offer their residents counseling, education, and life skill training. Transitional housing expects its residents to attend house meetings, maintain sobriety, and comply with house rules.

Recovery Houses

Recovery houses are temporary residences that provide sober, safe, stable, and healthy living accommodation. Their goal is to foster recovery for persons recovering from substance abuse disorder. Services in recovery houses range from medical and counseling services to peer-to-peer recovery support.
In peer-to-peer recovery, all occupants support themselves to sustain their sobriety by using the knowledge and skill gained from counseling and treatment. It is a community-based and self-monitored living program.

Sober Housing

Sober housing provides substance-free accommodation for people in recovery. Through individual and group counseling, therapy, support groups, and 12-step meetings, residents can maintain their sobriety and prepare to return to independent living. All sober housing has policies and guidelines to which their residents must adhere.

The Phases of Sober Living in Kentucky

Phases of Kentucky sober living based on the resident's progress to independent living include:
Restrictive or Abstinence Phase
In this phase, residents focus on drug or alcohol abstinence by avoiding triggers. It is a period of mental detox slowly allowing sober individuals to become acclimated to sober living. In addition, residents must attend therapy, health appointments, and peer support group sessions. The facility may also introduce house chores, fitness, and volunteering activities. The restrictive phase may last a month.

Reintroduction Phase

The sober living facility removes some of the restrictions in this phase and restores some privileges. It also introduces more responsibilities to the residents' daily activities to test the skills learned during therapy. The tenant may start work or school, ride the bus for essential activities only, continue therapy, and observe a curfew.

Self-Sufficiency Phase

It is the last step before independent living. Therefore, the resident responsibility increases. Residents in this phase have shown a track record of maintaining their sobriety and have become more accountable. At this phase, the resident must have completed the 12-step program and is confident in their sobriety skills in the real world. The sober living facility relaxes all other restrictions, granting the resident freedom. Residents in this phase are ready to move out of a sober home into an independent living arrangement.

Sober Living Near Me in Kentucky

If you or your loved one is battling an addiction, help is available. You can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to locate recovery treatment centers near you. Call SAMHSA's helpline at (800) 662-4357. Your conversations with the SAMHSA representative are confidential. The SAMHSA helpline opens 24 hours a day throughout the year.
You can also use the SAMHSA's treatment center locator to locate a rehab program rated and accessed by qualified specialists. The locator shows the facility location, contact information, various therapies, amenities, and payment methods.