Butler, PA - Today, Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones announced the Shapiro Administration’s Recovery House Licensure Program has increased the number of licensed recovery houses in Pennsylvania to more than 450 houses—connecting thousands of Pennsylvanians who receive publicly-funded substance use disorder (SUD) care and treatment to safe, family-like, substance-free homes to help in their recovery.
More than 60 percent of licensed houses — 284, to be exact — have become licensed since Governor Josh Shapiro took office, and the current number of licensed houses marks an 11 percent increase in one year.
Recovery houses are non-clinical, which means they do not provide SUD treatment. Instead, they are designed to provide supportive living arrangements where individuals in recovery live together in a structured, peer-to-peer environment that helps them build healthy routines. The purpose of DDAP’s licensure program is to help empower sustained recovery for individuals with SUD by ensuring a network of safe drug and alcohol recovery houses across the Commonwealth.
“Access to stable housing is essential in an individual’s recovery journey—especially for vulnerable populations like women with children,” said Secretary Davis-Jones. “The expanding network of licensed recovery houses reflects the Shapiro Administration’s commitment to ensuring that individuals have a safe, supportive place to live as they transition from treatment into recovery. I encourage all recovery houses to become licensed and join our efforts to support Pennsylvanians through all phases of their recovery.”
Secretary Davis-Jones made the announcement at one of Butler County’s licensed recovery houses, Ellen’s House, which exclusively serves women and children. Ellen’s House provides stable housing for up to 12 women and their children at a time. Since Governor Shapiro has taken office, Ellen’s House has served 72 women and children as residents of the recovery house.
“Since we opened our doors to the first resident, we have been inspired by our community and neighbors who have uplifted the women who have come through our doors seeking recovery,” said The Ellen O’Brien Gaiser Addiction Center Executive Director Joseph Mahoney. “This support has shown us it takes the power of community to help those rebuilding their lives from the disease of addiction find a lasting path to recovery.”
Butler County Drug and Alcohol Programs is the local county drug and alcohol office known as the Single County Authority (SCA), which administers local SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery services throughout the county.
Through funding provided by DDAP, the SCA helps provide treatment funding and other supports for uninsured and underinsured individuals. The SCA then makes referrals to facilities such as Ellen’s House so that individuals’ SUD-related needs can be addressed.
“We are proud to have such valuable resources within our community,” said Butler County Drug and Alcohol Programs Executive Director Donna Jenereski. “The encouragement, guidance, and support provided to women in Ellen’s House is an example of how we are helping to strengthen recovery journeys while maintaining the family unit.”
Recovery houses are required to become licensed through DDAP if:
- They are receiving public federal, state, or local funding;
- They are receiving referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities; and/or
- They are receiving referrals for individuals whose SUD treatment is supported by federal or state funding.
DDAP’s recovery house licensing regulations contain a number of provisions designed to protect residents in the areas of health and safety, finances, and resident rights, some of which include staff training on administering overdose reversal medication such as naloxone, CPR, and first aid.
Individuals can find a full listing of licensed recovery houses on DDAP’s website.
The services offered at Ellen’s House align with two of the Administration’s multi-agency priorities: better maternal health outcomes and strengthening rural health care:
- “Healthy Moms, Vibrant Futures” is the Administration’s first comprehensive strategic action plan designed to improve maternal health outcomes; and
- The Rural Health Transformation Plan will provide $193 million in the first year of a five-year initiative to improve health care access, quality, and outcomes in rural communities across Pennsylvania.
More information on the Shapiro Administration’s maternal and rural health efforts is available at pa.gov.
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