MySoberRoommateLivings

In Sept 2009 after over thirty years of working with chemical dependents, both in his medical practice and in the recovery community, "Doctor Steve" opens the "Full Measures Young Men's Sober Living Home." Steve, himself over 35 years sober, was inspired in this venture by the increasing number of recovering young people encountered in both his professional and personal lives.

Steve’s vision for this project was forged by his own extensive experience and continuous observation as both a member of and a healthcare provider for the recovery community. First and foremost, this experience taught him that the chances of sustained, relapse-free recovery from the highly chronic and naturally relapsing disease of chemical dependency is greatly enhanced, especially in young people, by extended residence, typically 6 to 12 months, in a “24/7” structured and supportive, assuredly sober, alcohol and drug-free environment shared exclusively with sober peers committed to recovery.

Second, his repeated observations over time underscored the sad fact that in this largely unregulated yet vital area of recovery, a great many “sober-living” or “half-way” houses fail to provide the aforementioned environment. Instead, they give lip service only, not the expense nor time, to test frequently enough (or at all!) for alcohol or drug use; inadequately monitor and document ongoing involvement in the residents’ recovery programs of choice; neglect to sufficiently screen potential residents for a true desire to stay sober; fail to provide the democratically supported social structure, security, and fellowship prerequisite to making a “House” a “Home”. Steve and Johnny believe that avoiding these common pitfalls will maximize a resident’s chances of committing the degree of single-minded effort over the extended period of time necessary to fashion a secure foundation for subsequent long-term sobriety---what the AA Book describes as “A design for living.”