Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing (MASH) serves as the primary agency for accountability of all certified homes in Massachusetts. 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.
As of July 1, 2024, the total certification fee is $425 ($375 for certification + $50 for the inspection). For updated information, please check with MASH directly. Payment of the MASH Certification Fee is required prior to your initial certification. VSL Chartered Operators receive hands-on support, document templates, and pre-inspection checklists to make certification smooth and stress-free. Contact VSL for assistance today. Carefully read the MASH Certification Standards mash certified sober homes and Massachusetts Sober Home Law.
MASH certification is crucial for operating a reputable and successful sober house in Massachusetts. It opens the door to state agency referrals, builds your credibility in the recovery community, and ensures you provide residents with a safe, supportive living environment. Vanderburgh Sober Living (VSL) is a network of independently operated sober homes organized and supported by the Vanderburgh Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 Charitable Foundation.
NARR established national standards for recovery residences, which MASH adopted and tailored to meet the specific needs of Massachusetts. This alignment with NARR standards helped MASH strengthen its certification process and expand its influence across the state. 29.d Documentation that residents are formally linked with the community such as job search, education, family services, health and/or housing programs.
Recovery residences —formerly known as halfway houses — are licensed residential treatment programs, while Massachusetts sober homes are peer-led and do not provide treatment. Sober homes provide mutual support, emphasize independent living skills, and depend on peer leadership. They are not licensed and are not funded by the state. Recovery residences — formerly known as halfway houses — are licensed residential treatment programs, while Massachusetts sober homes are peer-led and do not provide treatment. The mission of the MASH is to support individuals in recovery by ensuring access to high-quality sober living environments. MASH is dedicated to promoting the health, safety, and well-being of residents through rigorous certification standards that align with the National Alliance for Recovery Residences.
Understanding and aligning your sober home’s operations with these standards is critical to succeeding in the certification process. There’s also concern about chronic complaints about bad operators who abuse insurance or summarily evict residents who relapse. Proponents of the bill cite recent surveys showing a strong connection of substance use with homelessness and a preference of more than a third of unsheltered homeless people for abstinence-based housing. Residents are linked to mutual aid, recovery activities and recovery advocacy opportunities. 26.b Evidence that mechanisms exist for residents to inform and help guide operations and advocate for community-building.
Peer support interactions among residents are facilitated to expand responsibilities for personal and community recovery. Sober homes applying for annual recertification must remit payment of certification fees during the recertification process and prior to scheduling the home inspection. The next step in the certification process is completing and submitting the MASH Certification Application.
The Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing (MASH) plays a critical role in supporting individuals in recovery by helping to ensure access to high-quality sober living environments across Massachusetts. Established in 2007 by a group of sober home operators, MASH was founded to address the need for consistent standards and accountability within the sober housing community. Today, MASH oversees more than 180 certified sober homes. The organization’s core values emphasize health, home, purpose, and community, aligning closely with NARR’s principles to foster environments that promote long-term recovery and personal growth. In 2011, the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) established national standards for recovery residences (including sober housing).
Los Angeles Times senior writer Doug Smith scouts Los Angeles for the ragged edges where public policy meets real people, combining data analysis and gumshoe reporting to tell L.A. Stories through his more than 50 years of experience covering the city. Even if she never obtains direct financial support, Golden still sees benefit in the policy change. “I would be surprised if a significant amount of money went toward programs currently providing services,” Covert said. Haney said that he negotiated that threshold with homeless services providers but that he is still open to discussing any objections. Community gatherings, recreational events and/or other social activities occur periodically.
Understanding how these standards apply to your home is crucial for passing inspection and maintaining certification. Amenities include on site laundry, air conditioning, parking, full kitchens, living/dining rooms and quick access to public transportation. Our staff is kind, thoughtful and approachable.
Covert, of the Bay Area Council, thinks that to the extent local agencies choose to invest in recovery homes it would be to expand the supply with new construction. For providers of recovery housing like Golden, that effectively closed the door to state funding such as the multibillion-dollar Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention program. After a long journey of personal recovery and years volunteering as a substance abuse peer counselor, Thea Golden launched her own recovery home. 29.e Documentation that resident and staff engage in community relations and interactions to promote kinship with other recovery communities and goodwill for recovery services.
Martin said Housing California is concerned that the bill could direct too much money to recovery homes and will try to get the 25% limit reduced to 10%. Now Golden wants to buy or lease another house and add four or five more beds. But even though she’s housing people who would otherwise be homeless, Golden has no access to the hundreds of millions of dollars California hands out each year to do exactly that. Her tiny program, LA Recovery Connect, opened in 2021. Since then, five enrollees have lived in the unit behind their home and moved on to their own housing — two reunited with family and three into their own homes paying their own way. 29.b Residents find and sustain relationships with one or more recovery mentors or mutual aid sponsors.
MASH-certified sober homes must also offer a peer-based environment and be drug- and alcohol-free. 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, Massachusetts passed legislation that mandates the monitoring and voluntary certification of Massachusetts sober homes.