11th Oxford House in Tennessee Opens for People to Recover from Alcohol or Drug Abuse

NASHVILLE – The 11th Oxford House in Tennessee opened its doors on November 1, adding to the number of recovery homes around the state for people in recovery from alcohol and/or drug abuse issues.

Oxford Houses are safe, supportive housing options for adults at least 18 years old who are in recovery from alcohol abuse and/or drug abuse. Residents must be motivated to live in a disciplined, supportive, alcohol- and drug-free living environment and are able to gain employment or receive some type of legitimate financial assistance. Residents pay a weekly fee that includes rent, utilities, cable and internet connection. The fee varies between $80 and $110 per week, depending on the location.

“Oxford Houses are a good example of low-cost, high-impact alcohol and drug abuse services in the state of Tennessee,” says E. Douglas Varney, Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (TDMHSAS). “These facilities have been proven to be a great way to serve the treatment and recovery community and get the most ‘bang for our buck.’ ”

Oxford Houses have been in existence since 1975. The current Oxford House locations in Tennessee (according to oxfordhouse.org) are:

• Oxford House Unaka in Johnson City (423-202-7963) – capacity for 6 women
• Oxford House Milton in Memphis (901-725-0407) – capacity for 6 men
• Oxford House High Pointe Terrace in Memphis (901-323-6607) – capacity for 6 men
• Oxford House Faxon  in Memphis (985-265-2991) – capacity for 6 men
• Oxford House Hamilton in Nashville (615-244-9341) – capacity for 8 men
• Oxford House Hilson in Nashville (615-837-1867) – capacity for 12 men
• Oxford House Polar Bear in Nashville (615-742-9975) – capacity for 10 men
• Oxford House Meridian in Nashville (615-248-3224) – capacity for 8 men
• Oxford House Marthona in Madison (615-868-4707) – capacity for 10 men
• Oxford House Crieve Hall in Nashville (615-873-4020) – for 8 women
• Oxford House Cleveland in Nashville (opened November 1) – for 9 men

Also, an Oxford House for 8 women is scheduled to open in Nashville on January 1, with more to follow.

The Oxford House Model provides housing and rehabilitative support for adults who are recovering from alcohol and/or drug use and who want to remain abstinent from use. There are currently more than 1,650 self-sustaining recovery houses utilizing the Oxford House model around the United States. More than 10,000 individuals are in recovery living in these houses at any one time during a year, with more than 24,000 living in an Oxford House during course of a year.

“We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work with the State of Tennessee to develop a statewide network of self-run, self-supported Oxford Houses,” says Paul Molloy, the founder and CEO of Oxford House Inc. “Oxford House residents know that recovery without relapse can be the norm, rather than the exception, and are very grateful that the State of Tennessee has chosen to foster expansion of the Oxford House network. Oxford Houses provide the time, peer support, and system of operations that permit individuals to live in a safe environment for as long as it takes to stay clean and sober.”

To help promote the Oxford Houses and establish new locations, the TDMHSAS entered into a contract with Oxford House, Inc., to hire two outreach workers in Tennessee. These workers locate and establish appropriate housing, recruit and select appropriate recovery house members, submit loan applications, network with the local recovery community groups, and provide ongoing assistance as needed. In Tennessee, the recovery workers are Whitney Malone (615-300-7252 or whitney.malone@oxfordhouse.org) and Marty Walker (985-265-2991 or marty.walker@oxfordhouse.org).

A recovering individual can live in an Oxford House for as long as he or she does not drink alcohol, does not use drugs, and pays an equal share of the house expenses. The average stay is about a year, but many residents stay longer, according to the Oxford House website.