Assessing Technical Assistance Needs Among Recovery Residence Operators in the United States

Background: Recovery support services such as recovery housing may assist individuals with increasing their access to social support, employment services, and systems of care. Lack of evidence-based practices and calls for increased oversight of these settings suggests a growing need for technical assistance and training for recovery residence owners and staff members, yet little is known about their areas of greatest technical assistance needs, and if there are differences between the needs of owners/operators of one recovery residence vs. owners/operators of multiple recovery residences. Methods: We developed and administered a survey to assess the technical assistance needs of recovery housing operators in the United States using a convenience sample of individuals who own or operate a recovery residence (N= 376). The survey was disseminated electronically via e-mail using REDCap to collect survey responses. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the survey respondents, and bivariate analyses were conducted to test for differences in TA needs by the number of residences owned by the respondent (1 vs. 2+). Thematic analysis methods were used to analyze open text survey response items focusing on challenges, resources needed to overcome challenges, and community perception of recovery residences. Results: A total of 77 owners/operators completed the survey (20% response rate), representing urban, suburban, and rural communities. Almost one-half (45%) of respondents were the owner of their residence(s), and more than half (56%) of the respondents reported that their residence was certified based on a set of national best practices for recovery housing. Differences were observed between number of owned residences; owners/operators of a single residence expressed greater interest in technical assistance on house-specific policies and linkage to established systems of care, whereas owners/operators of multiple residences were more interested in technical assistance on complex topics such as building financial sustainability, and incorporation of best practices into their recovery residences. Conclusion: As an increasing number of states move to implement voluntary certification or licensing for recovery residences, targeted training and technical assistance to owners/operators will facilitate the successful adoption of recovery residence best practices and quality standards.