The Foundry runs men’s houses. But people searching for help don’t always know that: a mother looking for her daughter, a case manager with a female client, a woman who needs a safe place to land. This guide is for them: what to look for in women’s sober living, what to ask, and where to start in South Florida.
Why most sober homes are single-gender
Both Foundry houses are men-only, and most good sober homes are single-gender for similar reasons. Early recovery is a vulnerable time. Single-gender houses cut down on romantic distractions, make it easier to talk honestly about the things that drove the drinking or using, and give residents a household where they feel physically and emotionally safe. Some women also find it easier to work through hard experiences in a house of other women.
None of that means co-ed housing can’t work for anyone. It does mean that for most women, especially in the first months, a women’s sober living home is the place to start. (If you’re asking because you and a partner want to stay together, read couples sober living.)
What to look for in women’s sober living
Certification
In Florida, look for a house certified by the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR). Certification means the house has written policies, inspections, background-screened owners and a certified administrator. Outside Florida, look for an affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences. More on this in what FARR certification means.
Safety, in the plain physical sense
Locks on doors. Good lighting. A neighborhood she can walk home through after a meeting. A clear policy about visitors, and about who is and isn’t allowed in the house. Ask about it directly.
Women in leadership
Ask who runs the house day to day and who she’ll call at 2 a.m. In a women’s house, that is usually a woman in recovery herself.
Real structure
The same things that make any good sober home work: no alcohol or drugs, randomized testing, a curfew, meetings and a sponsor, chores, house meetings, and an expectation of work, school or an outpatient program. If a house can’t clearly explain its rules, keep looking. See common sober living rules.
Connection to care
A sober home is housing, not treatment. A good one will help a resident stay connected to outpatient care, therapy, medical providers and support groups outside the house, and will be honest if she needs a higher level of care first.
Questions to ask a women’s sober living home
- Are you certified? By whom? Can I see the certificate?
- Who manages the house, and is she in recovery?
- What are the house rules, curfew and testing policy?
- What is your visitor policy? Are men allowed in the house?
- How do you handle a relapse?
- What does rent include, and do you offer scholarships?
- Do you require residents to attend a particular treatment program? (The right answer is no.)
- If she has children, a pregnancy or specific medical needs: can you accommodate them, and if not, who can?
- Can we tour the house and talk to a current resident?
Red flags
- Free rent, gifts or travel in exchange for going to a certain treatment center. In Florida, paying or receiving anything for patient referrals can be a crime under the patient brokering law.
- No written rules, or rules that are applied differently to different residents.
- Pressure to decide on the spot, or reluctance to let you see the bedrooms.
- A manager who seems more interested in her insurance than in her.
For families looking for a daughter, wife or sister
Much of what we wrote for men’s families applies here too: ask hard questions, tour the house, and agree on how and when you’ll stay in touch. Our guide for families covers what sober living is and isn’t, how testing and house expectations work, and what to ask on a tour. Many of those questions transfer directly to women’s houses.
Women’s sober living in South Florida
The Foundry’s website links women to Recover at Monarch, a sober living home for women in Hollywood, Florida, on the Atlantic coast. As with any house, ask the questions above when you call, including about certification.
To search further, FARR lists certified recovery residences across Florida, and FindTreatment.gov can help if she needs treatment first. The SAMHSA National Helpline (1-800-662-4357) is free, confidential and open around the clock.
And if you’re looking for a man in your life
The Foundry runs two FARR-certified men’s sober living homes: Foundry: Beachhouse on the Intracoastal in Hollywood and Foundry: Lakehouse in North Miami Beach. Call (954) 817-7143.
Questions people ask
Are there sober living homes just for women?
Yes. Many sober living homes are single-gender, and women's sober living homes are common. In Florida, look for one certified by the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR).
Is The Foundry for women?
No. Both Foundry houses are men-only. Women can look for a certified women's sober living home; in Hollywood, Florida, one option is Recover at Monarch.
What should I look for in a women's sober living home?
Certification, physical safety and a clear visitor policy, women in day-to-day leadership, written rules with randomized testing and a curfew, honest admissions, and connection to outside care.
