Sober Living – What is the SHRA and FARR?
The Sober Home Task Force is a group of individuals who are committed to ensuring that sober homes in Florida are safe and effective. The Sober Home Task Force has played a key role in the development of legislation that has been enacted in Florida to improve the quality of sober homes. In particular, the task force was instrumental in the passage of the Sober Home Regulatory Act (SHRA), which created a process for licensing and regulating sober homes in Florida. The act also established standards for the operation of sober homes and required that they be registered with the state. The Sober Home Regulatory Act has helped to ensure that sober homes are safe and effective places for people with addiction problems to live.
The Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR) is a non-profit organization that was created in order to provide accreditation for sober living homes in the state of Florida and help adhere to the Sober Home Regulatory Act. Sober living homes are residences that provide a safe and structured environment for people who are recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. These homes typically have house rules that residents must follow to stay, such as no drinking or drug use on the premises.
FARR accreditation is important because it ensures that sober living homes meet certain standards set by the organization. These standards include things like having a minimum number of hours of weekly counseling and having staff members who are certified in addiction recovery. Accreditation also requires that sober living homes have liability insurance and follow fire safety regulations.
The FARR accreditation process is the only way to ensure that the sober living home meets all state and federal regulations. The FARR accreditation process is a joint effort between the Sober living home for Health Care Administration (AHCA) and the Florida Association for Home Care & Hospice (FAHCH).
The FARR accreditation process begins with a self-assessment by the sober living home. This self-assessment must be completed by December 31st of each year. After the self-assessment is complete, the sober living home must submit an application to AHCA for review. Once AHCA has reviewed the application, they will then provide feedback to the sober living home. This feedback will help the sober living home prepare for their on-site survey, which is conducted by FAHCH.
The on-site survey is a comprehensive review of the sober living home’s policies and procedures, as well as their patient care. The survey team will interview staff, patients, and family members. They will also tour the sober living home’s facilities and observe patient care. After the on-site survey is complete, the survey team will provide a report to AHCA. This report will be used to determine if the sober living home is in compliance with all state and federal regulations.
If the sober living home is found to be in compliance, they will be granted FARR accreditation. If the sober living home is not in compliance, they will be given a plan of correction. The plan of correction must be completed within six months. After the plan of correction has been completed, the sober living home will be surveyed again. If they are still not in compliance, their accreditation will be revoked.
The FARR accreditation process is a rigorous one, but it is the only way to ensure that sober living homes meet all state and federal regulations.
