For people seeking recovery, housing solutions that provide time and support for sustainable, long-term recovery are essential. In fact, SAMHSA has identified safe and stable housing as one of the four main dimensions to recovery. Recovery Residences are a viable and cost-effective alternative to established recovery-oriented systems of care. Certified Recovery Residences provide stable, structured, safe, and healthy environments that support residents as they develop new skills to live a sustainable life.

Code of Ethics

The group experience within the home fosters a culture of recovery based on shared lived experience, support, and structure – this community-based approach is referred to as the Social Model and is the basis of the national Standard for recovery residences. Our mission at NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR RECOVERY RESIDENCES (NARR) is to enhance access to quality recovery residences by setting standards, providing education, and advocating for those in addiction recovery. The CRRA credential is for people who operate and administer recovery residences, which are sober, safe and wellness-oriented living environments that promote sustained recovery from substance use conditions. CRRAs are responsible for the oversight of staff, volunteers and residents according to the standards established by the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR). A series of studies on Oxford Houses suggest they promote a host of positive outcomes at substantially lower costs compared to standard continuing care after residential treatment. These outcomes include not only substantially better abstinence rates, but also increased rates of employment and lower rates of criminal recidivism.

Building Quality Recovery Housing

Throughout the 1990s, many treatment programs discontinued their social model elements, a distinct departure from today’s residential community approach. An example of a Level IV is a recovery residence that implements social model care in a therapeutic community. The NARR Standard provides guidance for certifying effective recovery residences and incorporates the collaborative values of acute care and social models of recovery. The Standard is built on the lived experience of operators and residents, not the decisions of an external accreditation body.

The NARR Standard

Recovery Residence is an umbrella term that includes a range of alcohol and drug free living environments, including recovery homes and sober living homes, that use peer support and other supportive services, to promote addiction recovery. The National Alliance for Recovery Residences creates national quality standards for recovery houses. DMHA is basing most of the certification requirements and on-site inspection requirements on the most current NARR quality standards. Part of the NARR quality standards for every setting is having a Code of Ethics, which should incorporate the NARR Code of Ethics. Our team of board members, recovery residence operators, supporters and volunteers are committed to helping people in our communities achieve long term recovery.

• These outcomes include not only substantially better abstinence rates, but also increased rates of employment and lower rates of criminal recidivism.
• Both paid and formal, volunteer work experience is eligible for certification purposes; however volunteer experience in the context of a mutual support type group is not eligible for certification purposes.
• Our team of board members, recovery residence operators, supporters and volunteers are committed to helping people in our communities achieve long term recovery.

Maryland Certification of Recovery Residences

Continuous Quality ImprovementA dedication to ongoing evaluation and enhancement of recovery services, driven by feedback from residents and alignment with the latest research in the field. To purchase one or more training programs or if you have questions About NARR training or content development services, please contact us below. In some cases, the Housing Team may require a second virtual/on-site review in order to verify quality improvement recommendations have been implemented.

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The DMHA Housing Team will notify you within 15 business days about your certification approval/denial. Level I Type P (Peer-run) are democratically run alcohol and illicit substance-free recovery homes. Oxford Houses™ are the most widely known example and researched as indicated by their inclusion in SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 2023). Level I recovery residences maintain a recovery-supportive culture and community using house rules and peer accountability. Adherence to NARR StandardsAll affiliates and providers must commit to upholding the rigorous NARR quality standards, ensuring safe, ethical, and effective environments for recovery. NARR prioritizes educating providers, residents, and the broader community about the recovery process, the role of recovery residences, and the importance of standards to enhance support for recovery journeys.

• Staff are supervised, trained, or credentialed and are often graduates of a recovery residence.
• Continuous Quality ImprovementA dedication to ongoing evaluation and enhancement of recovery services, driven by feedback from residents and alignment with the latest research in the field.
• Please carefully review all of the credential documents before applying for certification.
• The spreadsheet will list staff that need access to WITS, which is the claiming system for Recovery Works.
• NARR Levels are informed by the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) categorization of different types of treatment and recovery programs, and the terms Levels and Types can be used interchangeably.
• Must read and sign an attestation agreeing to allow the FCB to conduct a random criminal history check to ensure compliance with the FCB Code of Ethical and Professional Conduct standards related to criminal activity.

Levels (Types) of Recovery Residences

• These homes provide safe and healthy environments that support residents in recovery support as they transition towards living independently and productively in their communities.
• In addition to peer-based recovery support, recovery support services, and life skills development, Level IV’s offer clinical addiction treatment.
• We tailor the content for this training to an individual client’s needs and budget, whether it be a NARR affiliate, state agency or other organizations.
• The NARR Standard provides guidance for certifying effective recovery residences and incorporates the collaborative values of acute care and social models of recovery.
• This scale promotes developing an environment of empathy, empowerment, and inclusivity that is vital for nurturing pathways of sustained recovery.

Your support directly contributes to the expansion of safe, quality recovery residences nationwide, making a lasting impact on individuals and families on their journey to healing. Our board members, recovery residence operators, affiliates and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change. Using data driven models, we provide solutions that can truly make a long-lasting difference for those we serve.

Instead, recovery housing certification and recertification is done by NARR’s state Affiliates. Each Affiliate goes through a rigorous review process before being chartered as a designated state Affiliate. The Academy for Addiction Professionals is a leading addiction professional training center and an approved education provider for both the Florida Certification Board (FCB) and NAADAC. Recovery residences support individuals by providing a safe living environment and readily available community of recovery-related social support. NARR emphasizes ethical practices in the management and operation of recovery residences, advocating for integrity, fairness, and respect for all residents.

• Our Board of Directors is composed of trailblazers in the recovery residence sector, bringing together a rich tapestry of expertise, compassion, and unwavering dedication.
• The degree of monitoring and regulation in recovery residences varies widely from setting to setting.
• Recovery residences are important assets within a community and among recovery-oriented systems of services.
• After the virtual/on-site inspection, the DMHA Housing Team will provide you with an official communication within 15 business days.

It is the obligation of all recovery residence owners/operators and staff to value and respect each resident and to put each individual’s recovery and needs at the forefront of all decision making. The Certified Recovery Residence Administrator or CRRA New Beginning Recovery Review certification is ideal for those who manage or perform a supervisory role at a Recovery residence. From day-to-day operations to the legal and ethical requirements of managing a recovery residence, CRRA candidates will understand the breadth of their responsibilities. Community EngagementActive participation in local, state, and national discussions on recovery housing policies and practices to advocate for the rights and needs of individuals in recovery.