How to choose a sober living home in Orange County

First, know what sober living is (and isn't)

A sober living home, which California law calls a "recovery residence," is a drug- and alcohol-free shared home built around peer support. It isn't treatment. The Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) doesn't license, certify, or investigate sober living homes. That has two consequences:

1. Quality varies a lot. You have to do the checking.
2. A sober living home can't legally provide treatment. Detox, counseling sessions, and treatment planning require a DHCS license. Good homes help you connect with licensed programs instead.

Check certification

There's no state license, so voluntary certification is your best outside signal:

• CCAPP Recovery Residences. California's affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR). Certified homes go through annual peer reviews, and CCAPP takes complaints.
• Sober Living Network. A Southern California certifying network with more than 500 certified homes across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties. Its phone line is (800) 799-2084.

An uncertified home isn't automatically bad. Ask why it isn't certified, and lean harder on the questions below.

15 questions to ask

Who lives there

1. Is the house men only, women only, or co-ed?
2. What ages and stages of recovery do residents tend to be in?
3. How many people live in the house, and how many share a room?

Rules and structure 4. What are the house rules on curfew, chores, meetings, and visitors? Can I see them in writing? 5. Do residents have to work, go to school, or attend treatment during the day? 6. How often do you test for drugs and alcohol? What happens after a positive test or a relapse? 7. Who's in charge day to day, and are they on site?

Health and safety 8. What's your policy on prescribed medications, including medications for addiction treatment such as buprenorphine? How are medications stored? 9. Is naloxone kept in the house, and do residents know how to use it? 10. What happens in an emergency at night?

Money and paperwork 11. What's the rent, and what does it include? What do I pay on move-in day? 12. Is the deposit refundable? What if I leave early or am asked to leave? 13. Will you give me a written resident agreement?

Independence 14. Do I have to attend a particular treatment program to live here? (The right answer is no.) 15. Do you pay or receive anything for referrals? (The right answer is no.)

Red flags

• Free rent or "insurance pays for your bed." Insurance doesn't pay sober living rent. When rent is free, someone is likely paying for your referral. That's illegal under the federal Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act, which explicitly covers recovery homes, and under California's patient-brokering law. See rehab scams and patient brokering.
• You must attend one specific program to keep your bed.
• They hold your ID, phone, or insurance card.
• No written rules or agreement. Cash only, no receipts.
• Crowding, such as more beds in a room than the room can hold.
• The home offers counseling sessions or detox without a DHCS license.
• Nobody asks about your recovery, only about your insurance or how fast you can move in.

Special situations

• Men's and women's homes. Single-gender homes are common, and many people find they make early recovery easier to focus on. Ask what the home does if someone breaks the rule.
• Couples. Most homes don't house couples together. Ask how they handle couples who are both in recovery.
• Pets. Pet-friendly homes are rare. Ask about size limits, vaccination records, and who cares for the pet if you're at work or in treatment all day.
• Medications. If you take buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone, or psychiatric medications, get the medication policy in writing before you move in.
• Moving from out of state. See moving to Orange County for sober living.

How The District answers these questions

Question	The District
Men's or women's homes?	Both, in every area we're in: all four Orange County areas (West, Central, North, and East). No co-ed houses.
Couples?	Couples live in separate District houses. They can see each other at PHP, OP, and aftercare programs. Keeping couples apart early helps both people's recovery.
Pets?	Allowed at every District house.
How fast can I move in?	Admissions answers 24/7 and can often move you in the same day.
Do you require a specific treatment program?	No. We'll help you find licensed programs near our homes, and you choose.
Referral payments?	None. We don't pay or accept anything for referrals.
Testing?	Ask admissions about drug and alcohol testing and the relapse policy for your house.
Medications and MAT?	Ask admissions about storing prescription medications and MAT in the home.
Naloxone in the house?	Ask admissions what overdose supplies the house keeps on site.
Certification?	Ask admissions about any third-party sober living certifications the operator holds.

Call admissions any time to ask anything not answered here.