RECOVERY HOME STANDARDS

The Behavioral Health Standards Organization (BHSO) created the Recovery Home Standard (BHSO 4005) to uphold and protect the essential role sober living environments play in long-term recovery. Recovery homes are more than housing; they are structured communities where accountability, peer support, and dignity form the foundation of sustained change.

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Under BHSO 4005, recovery homes must operate within the protections of the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, serving individuals recovering from substance use and mental health disorders. Each home must maintain clear operational guidelines, including sobriety requirements, curfews, peer governance, and resident participation in recovery activities. Leadership must be provided by trained house managers or peer supervisors who understand recovery principles and maintain safe, supportive environments.

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The physical property must meet strict standards for safety, cleanliness, and accessibility, ensuring that every resident lives in a setting that supports stability and well-being. Recovery homes must maintain transparent, ethical business practices, strictly prohibiting patient brokering, coercive financial arrangements, or hidden referral relationships. Residents must be provided with clear rules, grievance procedures, and protections for their autonomy and dignity.

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Programs that meet BHSO 4005 standards demonstrate that recovery housing can and should be held to a higher level of professionalism, ethics, and structure. Recovery homes that fulfill or exceed these expectations are eligible for Commissioned status, affirming their role as trusted, protected spaces where individuals can rebuild their lives with honor and hope.