Delaware certifies its first recovery residences under the state’s new codified standards.
The First State Alliance of Recovery Residences (FSARR) certified 13 Impact Life and atTAcK addiction recovery residences Monday – the first to be certified under HB 114.
That bill passed last June and codified standards for recovery houses to become certified through either the Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, or a division-approved certifying entity. FSARR is the only certifying entity to date.
Under the bill, non-certified houses can continue to operate but cannot receive state or local funding, referrals from a state entity or state court, or state referrals for individuals, or advertise as a certified house.
The bill passed with unanimous support and its sponsor State Rep. Kerri Evelyn Harris says that points to the severity of substance abuse in Delaware and legislators’ commitment to combating it.
“Some of the details were not even in the bill, it was talking to folks, making sure people understood what recovery residences were like, why we needed a certification process. Because without it, there aren’t standards that are high enough to keep people alive.”
FSARR is not only a certifying entity, but assists residences in making changes needed to achieve certification.
There are about 80 total recovery houses throughout the state – 45 are state contracted – and FSARR Executive Director Andrew Thurn says their goal is to help all of them meet certification requirements.
“We want people to meet the standard, so we are investing in making sure that they can meet our standards and that they are upholding them. We even paid for a new railing at another house because it didn’t make me comfortable that they didn’t have this railing.”
Thurn adds state funding from the bill is covering the cost of certification for each residence.
