”Operator”, the lawful owner of alcohol and drug free housing or a person employed and designated by the owner to have primary responsibility for the daily operation of such housing and for maintaining standards and conditions in such housing that create an environment supportive of substance use disorder recovery. It is a feeling.”  Our certified sober homes take pride in offering a home-like environment that supports recovery. Certified sober homes have comfortable spaces for living, sleeping, and engaging with peers, all of which make them valuable and safe spaces for recovery. Boston Sober Homes is a M.A.S.H certified sober housing company for those who are serious about their recovery and sobriety. Our mission is to provide clean, comfortable accommodations in a positive environment for those looking to live a sober lifestyle.

In 2011, the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) established national standards for sober houses. NARR began to affiliate with state-level organizations to promote evidence-based standards for sober houses and other residential recovery programs and centers. MASH affiliated with NARR and helps promote these standards at sober houses across Massachusetts. Are you a state agency, licensed provider, individual, or family looking for a MASH-certified sober home? All MASH-certified sober homes follow the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) standards and have been independently inspected. In 2007, eight sober house operators established the Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing.

Apply for Certification

Legislation in 2014 created voluntary certification of Massachusetts sober houses, and MASH began managing voluntary statewide sober home certification in 2016. The Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing, or MASH, exists to support men and women in recovery from addiction mash certified sober homes by improving access to quality sober houses through establishing recovery home standards and support services. Upon arriving at a sober-living house from rehab or detox, a woman can expect a safe and supportive environment that promotes long-term sobriety.

Contact Rise Above today to find out if there are any beds available in our program. Sober homes applying for annual recertification must remit payment of certification fees within 30 days or the home may be subject to certification suspension and a lapse in access to grant funding.

Certification Application Steps

In July 2014, Massachusetts passed legislation that mandates the monitoring and voluntary certification of Massachusetts sober homes. The law states that although a sober home is not required to be certified to operate, a state agency or vendor with a statewide contract to provide treatment services, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ or a state agency or officer setting conditions for release, parole or discharge, may not refer a person to a residence that is not certified. Effective September 1, 2016, state agencies and their vendors shall only be able to refer clients to certified alcohol and drug free (ADF) housing.

Successful sober homes establish and reinforce healthy lifestyles, provide a safe and stable place to live, conduct meaningful activities, and build relationships and social networks for support. Through our network of certified sober housing and empirically based recovery principles, MASH’s goal is to help create and foster these safe living environments for those with substance use disorders. Through our network of certified sober housing and empirically-based recovery principles, MASH’s goal is to help create and foster these safe living environments for those with substance use disorders. In 2011, the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) established national standards for recovery residences (including sober housing). These standards were developed using a collaborative approach with input from regional and national recovery housing organizations. MASH is an affiliate of NARR and used these standards to create Massachusetts standards for certified sober homes.

The Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing

NARR has since released two updates to the standards, first in October 2015 and then in 2018. The third version of the NARR standards provides more explicit guidance to providers, including metrics for evaluating the peer support components of a residence’s recovery environment. Effective September 1, 2016, state agencies and their vendors are only able to refer clients to certified alcohol and drug-free (ADF) housing. In accordance with this requirement, MASH serves as the primary agency for accountability of all certified homes in Massachusetts. Our organization also provides supervision and training for sober homes, and maintains a database of more than 180 MASH-certified sober homes. In July 2014, Bill H.1828 was passed into law mandating the monitoring and voluntary certification of MA Sober Homes.