Certification National Alliance for Recovery Residences

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 what is a recovery residence 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 grid below describes the level designations of recovery residences based upon the services provided.

• The National Alliance for Recovery Residences creates national quality standards for recovery houses.
• Use the Required documents link below as a reference to gather the necessary documents and information for your Recovery Residence application for step 4.
• Level III’s are designed to support populations who need more intense support in developing recovery capital than provided by Level I or Level II.
• In addition to peer-based recovery support, recovery support services, and life skills development, Level IV’s offer clinical addiction treatment.
• The State of Maryland pledges to provide constituents, businesses, customers, and stakeholders with friendly and courteous, timely and responsive, accurate and consistent, accessible and convenient, and truthful and transparent services.

Why is certification to national standards voluntary?

These homes provide safe and healthy environments that support residents in recovery support as they transition towards living independently and productively in their communities. Second, DMHA provides a full review and certification process for recovery residences who wish to receive funding related to various state-led grant programs. This oversight process ensures that people seeking recovery housing have access to services that meet the state requirements. The NARR Standard provides guidance for certifying effective recovery residences and incorporates the collaborative values of acute care and social models of recovery.

• Together, we harness our collective strengths to build a more inclusive, supportive, and empowering recovery landscape.
• The law applies to those operators who wish to remain eligible for referral from DCF Licensed substance use disorder treatment providers.
• By embracing nationally recognized (NARR) standards for the operation of recovery residences, we are helping to raise the bar on the level of service and care provided through recovery residences throughout Alabama.
• We partner with state agencies and recovery community organizations to advocate for the adoption of our high-quality housing standards at both state and national levels.
• This model emphasizes the importance of personal and collective responsibility for the safety and progressive health of oneself and others in the community.

Key Requirements for Affiliation with NARR:

Please use this as a guide in selecting what level your recovery residence may meet for certification. After the virtual/on-site inspection, the DMHA Housing Team will provide you with an official communication within 15 business days. This communication will list any required quality improvements that your organization needs to engage in prior to your application being approved. 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. Parties who desire to voluntary submit for certification to this Standard may apply online by selecting the “Apply Now” navigation button at the bottom of this page.

The NARR Standard

• The dynamic online application form poses specific questions based on answers to preliminary inquiries regarding number of locations and support level(s) offered by the applicant organization.
• Recovery residences provide a structured, supportive environment for individuals recovering from addiction, promoting the acquisition and practice of vital recovery skills.
• NARR utilizes evidence-based standards and ethical guidelines to assist dozens of state affiliates in certifying and managing recovery residences across the continuum of care.
• BenefitsCertified recovery residences distinguish themselves as meeting the national Standard.

If you do not respond to the DMHA Housing Team within required timelines, your application will be reviewed based on the information they have available. Please let us know if you have a complaint or concern with a recovery residence in Oklahoma. Report a serious incident which has occurred within or in connection to a recovery residence. FARR certifies homes in accordance with NARR Standard 3.0 which operationalizes the Social Model across four Domains, 10 Principles, 31 Standards and their individual rules. In some cases, the Housing Team may require a second virtual/on-site review in order to verify quality improvement recommendations have been implemented. The Housing Team will also be conducting surveys with residents and staff members in the home as part of the site inspection.

Our first offering, a 20-module workshop on meeting NARR’s best practice standards, has been well received and is available either through our state affiliate organizations or directly from us. For a few states we have also developed customized modules tailored to state-specific requirements. NARR emphasizes ethical practices in the management and operation of recovery residences, advocating for integrity, fairness, and respect for all residents. NARR values the cultivation of supportive, recovery-oriented environments where individuals can share experiences and offer mutual support, fostering a sense of belonging and collective strength. Once DMHA Housing Team has received a response from your organization concerning any required quality improvements, they will determine if your designation will be approved or denied.

Empowering Communities Through Collaboration

In addition to peer-based recovery support, recovery support services, and life skills development, Level IV’s offer clinical addiction treatment. While all Level IV residences are licensed treatment programs, not all licensed treatment programs would qualify as a social model-based Level IV recovery residence. 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. NARR utilizes evidence-based standards and ethical guidelines to assist dozens of state affiliates in certifying and managing recovery residences across the continuum of care.

Until recently most of our training has been in live, in-person or remote workshop formats. 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. Ethical OperationsUpholding the highest ethical standards in operations, resident care, and community interactions, ensuring transparency, integrity, and respect in all endeavors.

Get Certified

With varying levels of support, from peer-driven to medically supervised settings, these residences are pivotal in nurturing the journey to sobriety and wellness. Find Your AffiliateNARR Affiliates play a key role in certifying recovery residences within their respective states, aligning with the NARR Standard to ensure high levels of safety, support, and care. If your state has an affiliate, please direct your certification inquiries to them through our Affiliate Directory. Reviewers will be examining the recovery environment and ensuring the property and program meet the national quality standards. The National Alliance for Recovery Residences creates national quality standards for recovery houses.

• They are differentiated by the intensity of staffing, governance, and recovery support services.
• If you do not respond to the DMHA Housing Team within required timelines, your application will be reviewed based on the information they have available.
• Instead, recovery housing certification and recertification is done by NARR’s state Affiliates.
• In 2015, the Florida Legislature passed and the Governor signed House Bill 21 into law.

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.