Bringing Recovery Housing to Scale in Ohio: Lessons Learned

Area of Science:

• Substance Abuse Treatment
• Public Health Policy
• Housing Studies

Background:

• Recovery housing offers abstinence-based support for individuals recovering from alcohol and drug use.
• Recognized as crucial but underrepresented in treatment and housing systems.
• Strategies for scaling recovery housing are not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify barriers and facilitators to expanding recovery housing in Ohio.
• To understand stakeholder perspectives on scaling recovery housing.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving site visits, key informant interviews, and focus groups.
• Engaged diverse stakeholders including residents, administrators, policymakers, and housing developers (n=113).
• Thematic analysis of coded transcripts to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Stakeholders identified a need for increased recovery housing supports.
• Facilitators: inter-program collaboration and legislative/local stakeholder support.
• Barriers: inconsistent definitions, funding access, and regulatory restrictions.

Conclusions:

• Growing consensus on the importance of recovery housing for various populations.
• Consistent definitions, program models, funding, and networks are essential for expansion.
• Collaboration within recovery-oriented systems of care can reduce misperceptions and promote growth.