The Minnesota Legislature has asked the Minnesota Department of Human Services to “study and make recommendations regarding the potential oversight of sober housing programs for people with substance use disorders” (SF 873).

In partnership with community members and providers, the work group will make recommendations to the Legislature in the following focus areas on or before Sept. 15, 2022:

• Increasing access
• Promoting person-centered practices and cultural responsiveness
• Potential oversight of sober housing programs
• Providing consumer protections for individuals in sober housing programs with substance use disorders and individuals with co-occurring mental illnesses

In addition to the participation of residents and former residents of sober housing programs, their families and substance use disorder providers in Minnesota, other organizations participating in the work group include the Minnesota Society for Addiction Medicine, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI MN), the Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH), the Minnesota Association of Sober Homes (MASH), and the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR).

If you would like to offer opinions or questions about sober housing programs, please send an email to Sober.Home.Study.DHS@state.mn.us. If you want to participate in or observe the work group meetings, please email Neerja Singh at neerja.singh@state.mn.us.