Halfway house
Encyclopedia
The purpose of a halfway house, also called a recovery house or sober house, is generally to allow people to begin the process of reintegration with society
, while still providing monitoring and support; this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism
or relapse
when compared to a release directly into society. Some halfway houses are meant solely for reintegration of persons who have been recently released from prison
or jail
, others are meant for people with chronic mental health disorders, and most others are for people with substance abuse
issues. These sober halfway houses are many times voluntary places of residence and many of the residents may have no criminal record
whatsoever. There is often opposition from neighborhoods where halfway houses attempt to locate.
while they establish a sober support network, secure new employment, and find new housing. Residents stay for one to six months. Their stay is usually financed by their behavioral health insurance
. Whereas at places labeled as recovery houses or sober
houses for those with substance abuse
problems, residents are only asked to remain sober and comply with a minimal recovery program. Residents pay for their own stay.
In certain areas, a Halfway House is much different than a Recovery House or Sober House. In these areas, a Drug and Alcohol Halfway House is licensed by the Department of Health and has staff coverage 24 hours a day. This staff includes a clinical treatment team.
, halfway house usually refers to a place where people with mental disorders, victims of child abuse
, orphan
s or teenage runaways
can stay. The latter are often run by charities
, including the Church of England
and other churches, and community groups. Residential places for offenders on bail
are known as bail hostel
s, and probation supervised accommodation for offenders post-release are known as Approved Premises
. However, a halfway house more usually refers to something combining features of two other things, for example a solution to a problem based on two ideas.
Society
A society, or a human society, is a group of people related to each other through persistent relations, or a large social grouping sharing the same geographical or virtual territory, subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations...
, while still providing monitoring and support; this is generally believed to reduce the risk of recidivism
Recidivism
Recidivism is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have either experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been treated or trained to extinguish that behavior...
or relapse
Relapse
Relapse, in relation to drug misuse, is resuming the use of a drug or a dependent substance after one or more periods of abstinence. The term is a landmark feature of both substance dependence and substance abuse, which are learned behaviors, and is maintained by neuronal adaptations that mediate...
when compared to a release directly into society. Some halfway houses are meant solely for reintegration of persons who have been recently released from prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
or jail
Jail
A jail is a short-term detention facility in the United States and Canada.Jail may also refer to:In entertainment:*Jail , a 1966 Malayalam movie*Jail , a 2009 Bollywood movie...
, others are meant for people with chronic mental health disorders, and most others are for people with substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
issues. These sober halfway houses are many times voluntary places of residence and many of the residents may have no criminal record
Criminal record
A criminal record is a record of a person's criminal history, generally used by potential employers, lenders etc. to assess his or her trustworthiness. The information included in a criminal record varies between countries and even between jurisdictions within a country...
whatsoever. There is often opposition from neighborhoods where halfway houses attempt to locate.
United States
Most programs in the United States make a distinction between a halfway house and a sober/recovery house. A halfway house has an active rehabilitation treatment program run throughout the day, where the residents receive intensive individual and group counseling for their substance abuseSubstance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
while they establish a sober support network, secure new employment, and find new housing. Residents stay for one to six months. Their stay is usually financed by their behavioral health insurance
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
. Whereas at places labeled as recovery houses or sober
Sobriety
Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels, or effects from, alcohol or other drugs that alter ones mood or behaviors. According to WHO "Lexicon of alcohol and drug terms..." sobriety is continued abstinence from alcohol and psychoactive drug use...
houses for those with substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
problems, residents are only asked to remain sober and comply with a minimal recovery program. Residents pay for their own stay.
In certain areas, a Halfway House is much different than a Recovery House or Sober House. In these areas, a Drug and Alcohol Halfway House is licensed by the Department of Health and has staff coverage 24 hours a day. This staff includes a clinical treatment team.
United Kingdom
In the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, halfway house usually refers to a place where people with mental disorders, victims of child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
s or teenage runaways
Runaway youth
A runaway is a minor or a person under an arbitrary age, depending upon the local jurisdiction, who has left the home of his or her parent or legal guardian without permission, or has been thrown out by his or her parent and is considered by the local authorities to lack the capacity to live under...
can stay. The latter are often run by charities
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
, including the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and other churches, and community groups. Residential places for offenders on bail
Bail
Traditionally, bail is some form of property deposited or pledged to a court to persuade it to release a suspect from jail, on the understanding that the suspect will return for trial or forfeit the bail...
are known as bail hostel
Hostel
Hostels provide budget oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, although private rooms may also be available...
s, and probation supervised accommodation for offenders post-release are known as Approved Premises
Approved Premises
In the United Kingdom, Approved Premises , formerly known as probation or bail hostels, are residential units which house offenders in the community. They are recognised under the Offender Management Act 2007, and can provoke a hostile reception in the communities in which they are located...
. However, a halfway house more usually refers to something combining features of two other things, for example a solution to a problem based on two ideas.
See also
- Sober living environmentSober living environmentSober living environments are facilities used by addicts recovering from substance abuse, which serve as an interim environment between rehab and a return to their former lives. SLEs grew out of a need to have safe and supportive place for people to live while they were in recovery...
- DeinstitutionalisationDeinstitutionalisationDeinstitutionalization or deinstitutionalization is the process of replacing long-stay psychiatric hospitals with less isolated community mental health service for those diagnosed with a mental disorder or developmental disability. Deinstitutionalization can have multiple definitions; the first...
- Types of drug rehabilitation treatment