House Principles & Practices
By definition, sober living homes do not provide treatment, education or counseling. Rather, their purpose is to offer a secure and supportive environment in which residents can count on a well organized and facilitated household with zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, or other disruptive behaviors.
Stratford House residents are held accountable, and encouraged as they learn and refine basic living skills that most of us take for granted such as working/looking for work, going to school, house keeping and daily life chores—grocery shopping, eating regularly and healthily, laundry, showering daily and living amongst people in a “normal” way.
Many chronic alcoholics and drug addicts transitioning back to society’s mainstream find themselves seriously lacking in the habits and skills needed to function responsibly.
Experience has shown their chances for success greatly increase when, after graduation
from a formal treatment program, they spend a period of time in a supportive “Sober Living Environment (SLE)” , where they’re given the time and tools to develop a clean & sober way of life.
In addition, some individuals with strong, stable personal recovery find, for economic or social reasons, that they prefer a cooperative living situation in a household with others committed to a clean and sober life. These more experienced house members can often provide informal support and role modeling for members “younger” in recovery — to their mutual benefit.
All residents are expected to be employed, actively seeking a job, and committed to establish a long-term program of recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous or other 12 Step programs as appropriate.