I am a person in recovery and alumni of a Virginia Oxford House. I work at the Women's Resource Center, a domestic violence shelter, as the housing manager, which is how I found out about DBHDS new rules for recovery homes. I wanted to take a moment to say that the Oxford House model has been vital to my clients and me as a person in long-term recovery. It gave me the foundation for the amazing life I had today. 

I urge you to please change or reconsider the rules requiring paid staff in recovery homes, and please do not assume that every recovery home is a commercial business. Oxford Houses are the only recovery housing model accepted to SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. Please also state clearly in these new regulations whether members of an Oxford House are considered the "operator," because many of these rules seem to apply to operators. 

Living in an Oxford House with other people in recovery taught me personal responsibility and a shared sense of community. A self-governing house that takes care of its own bills and holds itself accountable is the true measure of recovery. Oxford Houses have continued to survive and thrive under this model for decades. I am very connected in the recovery community for many years, and I know 100's of people who got their start building their life in an Oxford House. The same is true for my wife. It truly changed her life. She was HSC chair and got involved in many volunteer opportunities through Oxford, helping other houses, and finding resources that helped shape her into the person she is today. I cannot imagine what a loss my community would have without Oxford Houses and countless others. Recovery Court also relies on these houses for its members to have a safe, accountable, recovery-oriented place to live. I am moving one of my shelter clients into one next week because DV and SUD often overlap. So, I give a final urgent plea to please reconsider these regulation changes that would prevent Oxford Houses from running as they are.