Sober living houses (SLHs) are for individuals recovering from drug and alcohol abuse. Evidence-based practices (EBPs) are based on research and are proven treatments for psychological and medical issues experienced by recovery patients in community-based services such as SLHs. Implementing more EBPs in can improve the outcome for residents recovering in SLHs.
Why Focus on EBPs?
There is a split between the field of medicine and drug and alcohol addiction. This is likely because the addiction treatment programs such as the 12-Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) were started outside the field of mainstream medicine. Addiction is now recognized as a disease that impacts the physical body and the brain. In turn, more EBPs such as medical models and practices are being integrated into SLHs such as recovery housing Cambridge MD. This integration helps the psychological as well as the medical aspect of addiction and the steps to sober living.
How Do EBPs Help?
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recommends the promotion and use of EBPs because they can help drug and alcohol abuse patients achieve recovery. One way is to ensure that recovery patients have access to EBPs, such as outpatient treatment. This treatment can significantly improve abstinence employment rates as well as reducing the arrest rate for residents.
Another way to improve outcomes is to assure patient access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT). MAT treatment includes treatment for addiction disorders with FDA-approved medications. Together with behavioral therapies, community recovery and counseling can address the whole-individual psychologically and medically, which can save lives.
The use of EBPs in community-based recovery programs such as SLHs is important because it can improve resident outcomes by addressing both the psychological and medical components of addiction treatment. The whole-individual approach is recommended by SAMHSA, which includes access to outpatient treatment and MAT combined with the traditional aspects of SLHs to help improve recovery patient care.