Oxford House - Rafiki

Oxford House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates a network of over 3,500 self-run, self-supported, and democratically governed sober living homes across 47 states, providing community-based, supportive, and drug- and alcohol-free environments for individuals recovering from substance use disorders. Founded in 1975 in Silver Spring, Maryland, by J. Paul Molloy and other residents who took over a closing halfway house, Oxford House emphasizes the principles of Recovery, Responsibility, and Replication, allowing members to live together without a house manager or external authority, sharing responsibilities and expenses equally while maintaining 100% sobriety through immediate expulsion for any relapse. The evidence-based Oxford House Model, recognized by the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices and supported by extensive research from DePaul University and others, fosters long-term recovery by enabling residents to stay as long as needed—averaging about a year but often longer—while developing leadership skills, self-efficacy, and responsibility; it has demonstrated unmatched success rates, with over 80% of residents maintaining sobriety long-term, reduced criminal involvement, and improved employment outcomes compared to usual care. Targeting recovering alcoholics, drug addicts, including those with co-occurring mental illnesses, veterans, women with children, and other special populations, Oxford Houses are gender-specific, accommodate at least six residents, and operate autonomously under charters from Oxford House, Inc., which provides technical assistance for expansion through outreach workers, chapters, state associations, and an elected World Council, ensuring the model's integrity and nationwide replication without affiliation to AA or NA but strongly encouraging active participation in such programs for sustained sobriety.