Oxford House - Kai

Oxford House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has pioneered the Oxford House Model since 1975, providing self-run, self-supported, and democratically governed recovery residences for individuals overcoming substance use disorders. Founded when a group of recovering alcoholics took over a closing halfway house in Silver Spring, Maryland, to avoid relapse, Oxford House emphasizes three core principles: self-help as the bedrock of recovery, disciplined democracy for communal living, and self-support to build efficacy in sobriety. Each Oxford House is a gender-specific, rented single-family home accommodating at least six residents, where members elect officers for six-month terms, share equal expenses through an Equal Expense Share (EES), and immediately expel anyone using drugs or alcohol to maintain a 100% sober environment. With no time limits on stays—averaging about a year but often longer—residents can focus on long-term recovery, employment, and reintegration into society, supported by a network of chapters, state associations, and the World Council. Backed by extensive research from DePaul University and recognized by SAMHSA as an evidence-based practice, the model has expanded to over 3,500 houses across 47 states and internationally, serving more than 24,000 individuals annually, including those with co-occurring mental health issues, veterans, women with children, and diverse populations, fostering responsibility, replication, and sustained sobriety rates exceeding 80%.