Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Our study team identified recovery residences through publicly available sources, such as the SAMHSA Treatment Locator and recovery residence associations and organizations (e.g., Oxford House, Inc. the National Association of Recovery Residences, Treatment Communities of America). Some residences were identified through other recovery-oriented associations or individual operators.

Recovery residences can range from those based solely on mutual aid to those that also provide recovery support or clinical services. They go by different names, like Oxford Houses, sober living houses, recovery homes, halfway houses, and therapeutic communities. Our study includes the full range of recovery residences: peer-run residences, monitored residences, supervised residences, and treatment providers. If you are unsure if your residence qualifies, contact the NSTARR project coordinator or research associate at (510) 684-3550.

Complete the survey only for the residence listed on the first page of the informational letter that was sent to your residence.

We recognize that recovery can mean different things and that individuals may need different kinds of support at various stages in their recovery. This study is interested in learning more about residences whose primary focus is supporting individuals who are actively engaged in their recovery from alcohol and other substance use, regardless of other services and support they may provide.

We recognize that individuals can be in recovery from a variety of behavioral health conditions. This study is interested in learning more about residences whose primary focus is supporting individuals who are actively engaged in working on their recovery from alcohol and other substance use, regardless of other services and support they may provide.

If in-home services are provided in addition to a recovery residence program, the facility still qualifies as recovery housing. If your facility only provides in-home services at a client’s personal residence, it does not qualify as recovery housing.

Yes, our study includes recovery residences for individuals in recovery from alcohol or any other substance use.

No, please complete the survey only for the residence that is listed on the informational letter that was sent to your residence.

All participants will complete the survey by phone with study staff. Study staff will contact you to schedule a time for the survey interview.

Some participants will be asked to first complete the survey online. A link to the survey and your unique login/password are included in the informational letter that was sent to your residence. You may also retrieve your link and login information by contacting the project coordinator or a research associate at (510) 684-3550 or nstarr@arg.org. You may access the survey at any time using your login information.

The survey should be completed by someone who is knowledgeable about the residence’s daily operations. This may be an owner/operator, house manager, senior resident or house president, or another individual who is involved in the daily operations of your residence.

No, the person completing the survey may consult with others, but the survey link should only be accessed by one person.

Phone interviews for the survey can be conducted in more than one session. You may exit the online survey and use the same link to resume. While completing the survey, you may go back to complete or correct previous responses.

The phone interview will take approximately one hour. The survey will take approximately 40 minutes to complete online.

Yes, the survey is not translated into other languages and must be completed by someone who is fluent in English.

Your participation is voluntary, but very important. This is the first survey of its kind. Your input will provide important information about recovery residences and about the kind of information that is most important to collect about them.

All information collected in the survey is completely confidential. We will report findings from the survey, but results will be reported in aggregate (grouped together) so that no single residence can be identified in the results. We will also make answers from the survey available to other researchers, but no identifying information (e.g., names, address, phone number, contact information) will be included with these data. Researchers will need to sign agreements that they will: (1) be using the data only for research purposes; (2) commit to securing the data using appropriate computer technology; and (3) not redistribute the data to third parties. If you have any questions about this, you should speak with study staff so that you know exactly how we will protect your confidentiality.

Yes, survey respondents will receive a gift card via email for completing the survey. The informational letter you received about the survey specifies the amount that you will receive. The incentive will be sent to you as soon as we receive notification that the survey has been completed.

Links to see definitions and examples of terms used in the survey will be provided within the survey itself. You may also view specifications for each question on the study website.