The VSL and Vanderburgh House ™ brands are used with permission by VSL Chartered Operators. The SJC ruling marks a profound shift in the legal framework for sober living in Massachusetts. While Fair Housing protections still exist, this decision empowers municipalities to reassert local control over zoning and building use laws, even when recovery homes are involved. This ruling matters because the court ruling stripped protections for sober homes from municipal zoning or licensing rules.
MaryBeth recently received her LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) and is also an Adjunct Professor at Middlesex Community College teaching in the Licensed Alcohol and sober living home massachusetts Drug Counselor curriculum. Robert was educated in the Lowell Public Schools and University of Massachusetts. He was previously employed by the Career Center of Lowell/City of Lowell for a number of years and later as a Director of Finance & Operations at an independent school in Cambridge, MA. Robert is currently employed as the Chief Operating Officer of a large urban K-8 Public Charter School in Lowell. At 21 years old, Robert was one of the youngest elected officials in the city’s history.
How long can I stay in a sober living house?
In his nine years at AMD Dan managed AMD’s worldwide sales efforts which included a direct sales force and a global network of over 40 resale partners. Since joining AMD the company’s footprint expanded into 98 countries including several nationwide deployments. The common theme throughout Dan’s 33-year business career has been one of driving growth for technology based, telecommunications related companies with high value product propositions. Steven is an active member in telemedicine associations and organizations around the globe and has presented at numerous telemedicine forums throughout North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Sober living is not covered by insurance and typically costs $300 to $2,000 per month. The cost varies based on location, amenities, and the level of support services provided. Join our global mission of connecting patients with addiction and mental health treatment. The coaches are often the first specialists to intervene when people make a decision to get their lives back on track after years of substance abuse.
👉 Learn more about becoming a Chartered Operator and get the support you need to stay open and compliant. If your sober home operates more like a shared household than a commercial enterprise, you may still be able to argue for zoning protections—but only with detailed documentation. If your municipality starts applying lodging house laws, you’ll need to prepare for inspections and potentially bring your home into compliance with new safety and fire codes.
- Shaun is very active in the community, also serving as a Board member for the Latinx Community Center for Empowerment, as well as organizing and advocating for many community based efforts.
- In addition, she has served on the Board of Westford Against Substance Abuse from 2017 to present.
- Instead, they provide their occupants with a safe and supportive community, all working to prevent a relapse.
- They connect people with addiction counselors and physicians who can prescribe medications for curbing cravings, such as buprenorphine or methadone.
- Middlesex Human Service Agency Inc, Sullivan House is a substance use treatment center.
Sober living houses offer a safe, structured environment where individuals recovering from addiction can live while transitioning from treatment back to everyday life. These homes provide a drug- and alcohol-free environment that promotes accountability and fosters a sense of community. Unlike rehab centers, they often don’t offer formal treatment but help residents develop the skills necessary for independent living. Massachusetts residents in early recovery from addiction may benefit from the structured and supportive living environment of a sober living home.
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Teddy began his broadcasting career as a Sports Producer at WDH-TV Channel 7 in Boston and also wrote for the Lowell Sun. When not working at the radio station, Teddy helps run his family restaurant in Lowell. He is a graduate of Dracut High School, earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and a Master’s Degree in Mass Communication/Broadcast Journalism from Emerson College. Shaun is very active in the community, also serving as a Board member for the Latinx Community Center for Empowerment, as well as organizing and advocating for many community based efforts. He was also a long-time Board Member of the Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association.
Our Ashby rehab center is located less than an hour from several towns and cities in Massachusetts. If there’s a momentary lapse in judgment or a relapse, we are compassionate and understanding. With this admission, we can move forward with a renewed focus on sobriety and structure. MaryBeth was born and raised in Boston and now lives in Haverhill, MA with her many pets. In her “spare” time, MaryBeth loves to relax at the beach and watch the Patriots.
Over and eighteen year career in the field, MaryBeth has worked in clinical settings supporting and guiding individuals who present with various inner challenges. Her passion and mission is to promote independence while addressing and processing underlying sensitive issues such as trauma, life changes, and stressors. Sue is currently the Vice-President of Finance for Water Analytics, a local manufacturer located in Andover. Sue started her business career at Price Waterhouse Coopers in their Boston office. From there she joined United Asset Management Corporation last serving as Vice-President.
They connect people with addiction counselors and physicians who can prescribe medications for curbing cravings, such as buprenorphine or methadone. These limitations may be an important factor to consider in the process of finding a sober living environment for yourself or a loved one. Whether you’re healing from alcohol addiction, opioid addiction, stimulant addiction, or other substance use disorder, we welcome you to Psyclarity so that you can heal for life.
- Together, patients can realize their goals for sobriety and align their lifestyle with a renewed focus on lifelong health and well-being.
- Grimes said certification was a costly and timely process that took more than a year, involving applications, inspections and bureaucratic delays.
- While living at a sober living facility, most individuals are required to work part-time or be in school.
- MaryBeth recently received her LMHC (Licensed Mental Health Counselor) and is also an Adjunct Professor at Middlesex Community College teaching in the Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor curriculum.
- Taking the step to join a sober living facility can help you feel comfortable, inspired by your community and at peace as you move forward in your sobriety.
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She resides in Centralville, with her husband Tom, and two boys Ian (15) and Evan (13). Kerrie enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, and taking long walks with their dog Gogo. Massachusetts sober living houses offer more privacy and comfort for its residents because they arrange the facility like private residences. The government designs most halfway house like dormitories, usually offering fewer amenities.
Key details about Middlesex Human Service Agency Inc – Answer House
United Way of South Central Indiana supplies basic living essentials such as toilet paper, shower curtains, dish soap and sponges. Courage to Change emerged out of casual conversations between Grimes and co-founder Brandon Drake, another recovering addict who later relapsed. At the time, Grimes was staying in a two-bedroom apartment with a landlord open to renting to felons. As head of the family business, Grimes had spent years saving face at work and around family and friends, all the while slipping further into opioid abuse, going to greater lengths to get her hands on the painkillers. Check out our blog posts and resource links for the latest information on substance abuse.
‘There’s always a community’
One type of transitional care that can be helpful to prevent relapse after inpatient treatment and ensure safe, stable housing for individuals in early sobriety is sober living, or recovery housing. Instead of transitioning directly from intensive treatment, patients can readjust and refocus with peers on a similar journey to learn healthy habits and coping skills as they transition to independent living. Most facility staff in a sober living house are older residents using their skills and experience learned in recovery to support newer residents.
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Some people stay in sober living homes for weeks while others stay longer. Your care team will help you determine how long it is beneficial for you to stay in a sober living environment. Kerrie D’Entremont is an experienced Executive Director with a demonstrated history of working in the non-profit, public health field, for over twenty-five years. For the past ten years, she has been the Executive Director for the Greater Lowell Health Alliance, a strategic coalition of community organizations that improves the wellbeing of those living in the Greater Lowell Region. Kerrie has experience with numerous non-profits and health arenas and often serves as a volunteer board member. Skilled in public speaking, management, fundraising, health policy and advocacy, and program development, she has also published in research journals including Plos One.
At the heart of the case was a challenge by a municipality attempting to classify a sober living residence as a lodging house or rooming house, requiring special licensing and compliance with more restrictive building use codes. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court’s March 2025 final decision in SJC marks a pivotal shift for sober living across the state. Here’s a breakdown of the newly confirmed impacts on sober homes, including how it strengthens legal protections and reshapes municipal oversight. The rules at every sober living house may be different, but generally, there are common-sense limitations on things you can and can’t bring with you. The facility will typically provide bedding, space for your things, laundry detergent and other cleaning supplies, amenities, and bathroom products.
Reach out to your desired sober living home and inquire about the admissions process. Some homes may require an initial evaluation to determine if their facility would be a good fit for you. Most homes will require you to fill out an application, similar to an application to rent an apartment. The staff will ensure that you are aware of the home policies and financial obligations before you agree and commit to move in.