MASH MASH Standards

And these are very different neighborhoods. In the Moreland Terrace National Register Historic District, west of downtown New Bedford, a sober-house operator bought a grand historic house on Ash Street in July, raising fears of a sober house to come. Neighbors have banded together, posted protest signs along their streets, pinned on protest buttons, and taken their concerns to the New Bedford City Council. Bishop Wendy A. Toon smiled when she heard that description of the Ethel Rose House of Refuge at 95 Willow, a sober house that can accommodate up to six women. The Bouchers estimate that of about 50 women they have accommodated at both houses, they’ve asked about half to leave, usually for breaking the sobriety rule. Of those, two or three have been allowed back after going through detox.

Seven overdose deaths at sober houses

• Documentation that emergency contact information is collected from residents.
• That’s where the sober house comes in.
• Our homes and their atmospheres are nurtured by the guests they provide for.
• Evidence that staff and residents model genuineness, empathy, and positive regard.
• At worst, they’re a place where people in recovery relapse, where overdoses happen, sometimes fatally.

Cullen, who once lived in a sober house in New Bedford himself, argues that people recovering from addiction need structure, which sober houses do not reliably provide. He thinks there should be requirements for house manager credentials and financial reporting. Overdose deaths in sober houses, he said, should trigger investigations. Danielle Brown, a program director for the homelessness and addiction services provider Steppingstone Inc., said she doesn’t think regulations would be a bad idea, but she doesn’t think they’re necessary.

• The brick building next to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church used to be a convent; then it was a women’s shelter.
• In the Moreland Terrace National Register Historic District, west of downtown New Bedford, a sober-house operator bought a grand historic house on Ash Street in July, raising fears of a sober house to come.
• Documentation that the owner/operator has current liability coverage and other insurance appropriate to the level of support.
• Policies and procedures for ongoing performance development of staff appropriate to staff roles and residence level.
• Desrochers say she thinks sober house regulation would help ensure more consistent practices and oversight.
• Drown came to Sears Street in January after two weeks at a sober house not far away at 95 Willow St., which she found too strict for her taste.
• The support provided by sober home communities is combined with local clinical recovery support organizations to serve those in recovery from addiction.

Find Certified Sober Living in Massachusetts

During that time, Desrochers said, he’d had a good experience at a well-run sober house in Falmouth. Clearly it was not enough to break his addiction. Caleb Bethoney, who was 24 when he died of an overdose in March 2017, had been through detox, then residential treatment, then was referred to a sober house in Falmouth. The brick building next to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish at St. James Church used to be a convent; then it was a women’s shelter. This year it became the city’s largest sober house, with room for 33 men. Like Traci’s Home, it’s run by There Is a Solution.

A mother’s anguish: Two sons lost to drug overdoses

27.e Documentation that resident and staff engage in community relations and interactions to promote kinship with other recovery communities and goodwill for recovery services. A weekly schedule details recovery support services, events and activities. Peer support interactions among residents are facilitated to expand responsibilities for personal and community recovery. Grievance policy and procedures, including the right to take grievances that are not resolved by the house leadership to the operation’s oversight organization for mediation. Policies and procedures that keep residents’ records secure, with access limited to authorized staff. Policies and procedures regarding collection of resident’s information.

E. Core Principle: Provide a Home-like Environment

• Residents live together as a family to develop the tools and strengthen their character in order to live free from substance abuse.
• She can see both sides of the debate on Rivet Street, in Moreland Terrace, or any neighborhood in New Bedford where a sober house may open.
• The manager of Traci’s Home, who manages at least two other sober houses in New Bedford that are run by There is A Solution, declined requests for an interview.
• Cullen figures sober houses are not regulated because it’s not a big enough industry to draw the political momentum to do it.
• That was one theme of remarks two neighborhood residents — both former city officials — delivered on Sept. 19 before the council’s Committee on Appointments and Briefings.

Evidence that residents increase recovery capital through such things as recovery support and community service, work/employment, etc. Job descriptions require staff to facilitate access to local community-based resources. We are active from the local to the state level, continuously advocating for the rights of sober home residents and operators.

MASH Initiatives

The best estimates say Traci’s Home is one of 20 or 30 sober houses in New Bedford, a number rising as addiction grows. Recovery advocates consider the houses a crucial step between treatment and sobriety. But they’re not regulated by the state or the city, and they’re often unwelcome in neighborhoods. The city has no sober house policy or plan for where they ought to be.

MASH’s recovery values emphasize health, home, purpose, and community. Through our network of certified sober housing and empirically-based recovery principles, MASH’s goal is to help create and foster safe living environments for those with substance use disorders. The mission of the MASH is to support individuals in recovery by ensuring access to high-quality sober living environments. MASH is dedicated to promoting the health, safety, and well-being of residents through rigorous certification standards that align with the National Alliance for Recovery Residences. These standards ensure that sober homes provide safe, structured, and supportive environments crucial for long-term recovery. Sober house certification in Massachusetts is managed by the Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing (MASH), the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR).

Documentation that the owner/operator has current liability coverage and other insurance appropriate to the level of support. Guests feel safe, comfortable and supported at all times. He relapsed there, and soon after died of an overdose at a friend’s house in Falmouth. “We’ll lose our city if we let people come in here and tell us what to do,” Lang said.

These homes allow for independence mash certified sober homes while guided by a set of recovery-focused house rules, standards, and expectations. Visit the Vanderburgh House website to learn more about their sober homes. In Massachusetts, sober homes and recovery residences are different models for substance abuse recovery.

The Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing (MASH) plays a critical role in supporting individuals in recovery by ensuring access to high-quality sober living environments across Massachusetts. Established in 2007 by a group of sober home operators, MASH was founded to address the need for consistent standards and accountability within the sober housing community. Today, MASH oversees more than 180 certified sober homes. The organization’s core values emphasize health, home, purpose, and community, aligning closely with NARR’s principles to foster environments that promote long-term recovery and personal growth.