Oxford House - Brynlyn

5207 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46208

Oxford House is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides self-run, self-supported recovery homes for individuals recovering from substance use disorders, founded in 1975 when residents of a closing halfway house in Silver Spring, Maryland, took over the property to continue their sobriety journey.
With a mission centered on Recovery, Responsibility, and Replication, Oxford House offers a community-based, supportive, and sober living environment where members democratically manage their households, sharing responsibilities and expenses without external authority or time limits, as long as they remain drug- and alcohol-free, non-disruptive, and pay their equal share.
The model emphasizes long-term residency—averaging about a year but often extending to several years—fostering leadership, self-efficacy, and peer support, complemented by active participation in AA or NA meetings, and has proven highly effective, with research from DePaul University showing over 80% long-term sobriety rates, reduced substance use, criminal involvement, and improved employment outcomes compared to usual care.
Serving diverse populations including men, women, veterans, those with co-occurring mental health issues, and special groups like women with children or Native Americans, Oxford House operates over 3,500 gender-specific houses across 47 states and internationally in Canada, Australia, and Ghana, expanding through charters, technical assistance, and a network of chapters and associations to ensure accessible, evidence-based housing that helps thousands achieve and maintain sobriety while rebuilding responsible lives.

What we treat

Treatment & Programs

Levels of Care

Oxford House - Brynlyn operates on a time-tested sober living model. It functions entirely without a traditional house manager or outside authority. Designed as an open-ended aftercare support structure, residents can maintain their living arrangement indefinitely. They must simply remain completely substance-free, pay their mutual share of expenses, and avoid disruptive behavior.

Sober Living Aftercare Support

Therapies

As a completely peer-run, non-professional environment, clinical therapies are never provided on-site. Instead, residents actively rely on mutual support and strict personal accountability. Housemates are strongly encouraged to participate in local Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings to maintain their abstinence. The true therapeutic value of the residence lies in shared responsibility and a lived experience of participatory democracy.

Addictions

The home serves individuals recovering from a broad spectrum of substance use disorders. This includes chronic alcohol dependence and severe drug addiction. Adhering to strict national traditions, the absolute requirement for every member is maintaining total sobriety. If any resident returns to using or drinking, they face immediate expulsion to protect the safety of the household.

Alcohol Use Disorder

Conditions

Primary focus remains squarely on overcoming substance use disorder through communal living. However, the inclusive nature of the community provides crucial stability for other behavioral health needs. Longitudinal research by DePaul University found that residents with co-occurring mental illnesses thrive in this environment. A structured, supportive peer lifestyle offers a highly effective baseline to rebuild healthy daily habits.

Issues

Overcoming addiction often requires rebuilding life directly from the ground up. This household helps members directly tackle compounding challenges like homelessness, job loss, and past criminal justice issues. By fostering a strong sober social network, residents continuously lean on one another. Research demonstrates that those utilizing this specific communal living option experience significantly better long-term employment outcomes.

Homelessness/Housing Insecurity Criminal Justice Issues Sober Social Network / Community Building Job Loss / Unemployment

Programs

Driven by a deeply held peer-led recovery community model, the methodology at Oxford House - Brynlyn is strictly abstinence-oriented and highly evidence-based. Drawing heavily from 12-Step informed principles, the structured environment requires residents to actively manage their own extended care. House officers are locally elected by peers for brief six-month terms. This teaches practical leadership skills without resorting to a traditional boss-subordinate dynamic.

Abstinence Oriented Peer-Led / Recovery Community Model Evidence Based Extended Care (90+ days) 12-Step Informed Mother & Child Program LGBTQ-Affirming Program Veterans Program

On-site

Amenities

Located in a residential neighborhood of Indianapolis, Oxford House - Brynlyn is set up as an ordinary single-family home. Residents typically sleep in shared rooms. This distinct arrangement is deliberately designed to discourage isolation and encourage socialization. Members share all household responsibilities, pitch in on assigned chores, and democratically manage their communal living space together.

Shared Rooms

Coverage

Payment

Financial responsibility serves as a major cornerstone of the peer recovery process here. All monthly costs are simply structured around an Equal Expense Share self-payment system. Because there are no outside financial backers or professional staff salaries, members divide rent and utility costs equally. This practical setup typically keeps out-of-pocket residential expenses highly affordable for residents rebuilding their lives.

Eligibility

Who We Serve

Oxford House - Brynlyn provides a safe, structured environment for adults navigating the fragile transition out of formal rehabilitation. Like all local homes in this vast nationwide network, the residence operates as a specialized gender-specific setting. This intentional setup allows housemates to slowly build highly relatable bonds with peers throughout the Indianapolis community.

Additional Services

Beyond immediate housing assistance, the larger organization fosters a powerful nationwide alumni program. Members who move out in good standing are consistently encouraged to become active associate members. They routinely offer ongoing friendship, guidance, and a positive example to newer residents. This lasting connection ensures that early recovery bonds endure long after a transition out of the home.

Alumni ProgramHousing Assistance

About

Facility Info

Operating under the umbrella of a respected 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, this Indianapolis residence provides an authentic community setting. The home operates far away from the strict confines of a sterile clinical facility. By embedding recovery directly into a normal residential neighborhood, members re-engage with everyday civic life while benefiting from an insulated home base.

Credentials

Accreditations

The Oxford House model is internationally recognized for its sustained efficacy in the addiction field. It was historically listed on the National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices. Supported by decades of independent university research, the U.S. Surgeon General has highlighted this specific model as a leading example of recovery-supportive housing.

Oxford House - Brynlyn