As a prisoner for 20 years, I came home to nothing—no family, no home—and Oxford House saved my life. It gave me shelter while I worked on my character defects and a family of like-minded peers who supported and accepted me. It also motivated me to become a certified Peer Recovery Specialist through the Dept. of Behavioral Health (DBHDS) in Winchester, Virginia.

I have spent over two years in my current Winchester Oxford home, working on my recovery every day and living a stable life. Yet, as a felon, I experienced firsthand how DBHDS shuts doors, barring individuals with certain offenses from working under their establishments despite holding their certificates. Furthermore, DBHDS refuses to help fund individuals released to the streets with no home or family, leaving local churches to step in where the state fails.

DBHDS has made recovery harder through restrictive policies, while our members go above and beyond. I can personally assure you I have helped more homeless men and women into an Oxford House within our jurisdiction over the past two years than DBHDS has.

If this draft were to pass, it would collapse the integrity and structure of our independent houses. DBHDS does not need to manage everything; our proven system already works. Please don't overcomplicate a life-saving system with unnecessary bureaucracy and red tape.

— Elton Jimmy