Mineta: Recovery residence standards are having an impact

“I believe the emergence of the National Alliance of Recovery Residences (NARR) is one of the more important things to have happened in recent years in the recovery domain—and the development of your recovery housing standards marks a significant milestone in our field. The work you are doing is extremely important, and we thank you for it.”

David Mineta, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), speaking at NARR Annual Board and Affiliate Meeting in St. Paul, Minn., June 2014

The National Alliance of Recovery Residences (NARR) has emerged as a dynamic, growing organization representing all levels of recovery residences, and has been strongly endorsed by addiction recovery leaders including Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Deputy Director David Mineta. Other notables in attendance at NARR's annual board meeting last month included researchers Doug Polcin and Amy Mericle and legal advocate Steve Polin.

NARR normally has held a small board meeting, but this year 48 people traveled from all parts of the country to St. Paul, Minn.—board members, affiliate representatives and industry leaders. NARR has grown to include 17 state affiliates, with 13 additional states in the affiliation process, in all representing 1,800 recovery residences with nearly 25,000 individuals served.

Mineta stressed the importance of NARR’s representation as ONDCP identifies effective recovery support services, a high-priority agenda item for the National Drug Control Strategy. He applauded the implementation of the National Standard, and indicated that it is assisting in removing policy impediments to recovery housing.

Current NARR President Jason Howell led two-day group discussions on topics that included:

• The emergence of funding at the state level for safe and affordable housing as a recovery support.

• Current fair housing and disability law impacts and advocacy needs.

• Appropriate integration of recovery residences into third-party payment systems.

• Current needs in the field to include unified nomenclature, as well as training regarding best practices and standards.

• The shift from an acute-care model of treatment to chronic-care recovery management over time, and recovery residences' important role in the support continuum.

As a follow-up on immediate agenda items, NARR will be hosting a Best Practices for Recovery Residences event in Atlanta Oct. 17-19; more information to come.