Dear Committee Members,

I serve as the Executive Director of The Chris Atwood Foundation in Fairfax, VA but just seven years ago, I was a resident of an Oxford House in Manassas, VA.

Living in an Oxford House taught me how to rebuild my life and become a responsible, self-sufficient citizen. The daily accountability, shared governance, and life skills I gained, from budgeting and managing household responsibilities to active support and meeting attendance, launched the trajectory that defines my life today. I am now a married homeowner, a community leader, and a full-time recovery professional dedicated to helping others find the same path to healing. I directly attribute my long-term recovery and success to the peer-run, self-governing model of Oxford House.

As you evaluate current policies, I strongly urge you to preserve and protect the integrity of the Oxford House model for the benefit of the recovery community. Alternatively, if updates are being considered, I ask that you explicitly clarify whether house members themselves are recognized as the operators of the home. Protecting self-governing recovery residences ensures that individuals exiting treatment continue to have access to low-barrier, highly effective peer support systems that save lives.

Thank you for your time, consideration, and continued commitment to supporting long-term recovery in our communities.

Sincerely,

Brittany Roberts-Martin