OhioMHAS Recovery Housing Residence Registry – Response Due November 3rd

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has released information about the Recovery Housing Residence Registry. Organizations that operate any type of recovery housing or sober living home are encouraged to review this information carefully.

The state budget bill, H.B. 33, was passed on July 4th, 2023. The bill included multiple provisions that apply to Recovery Housing Residences. The following items are outlined in the bill:

For highlights of the bill’s language as it relates to Recovery Housing Residences click here.

Under Ohio Revised Code (O.R.C.) 5119.391, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is required to monitor the establishment of recovery housing residences in Ohio. The statute defines a recovery housing residence as “a residence for individuals recovering from alcohol use disorder or drug addiction that provides an alcohol-free and drug-free living environment, peer support, assistance with obtaining alcohol and drug addiction services, and other recovery assistance for alcohol use disorder and drug addiction.”

To assist OhioMHAS with this monitoring function, O.R.C. 5119.391 requires each person or government entity that will operate a recovery housing residence on or after October 3, 2023, including any recovery housing residence that was established and in operation prior to that date, to file with OhioMHAS.

If your organization is operating any recovery housing (or sober living home), regardless of whether the property or program has attained national accreditation in recovery housing, you are required to complete this registration. Organizations must register each property on a separate form.  All homes must be registered, even if they are certified by Ohio Recovery Housing or another entity. 

The due date by which a recovery housing operator must file its first form with OhioMHAS depends on whether the recovery housing residence began operating before October 3, 2023, or on or after that date:

  • Residences that began operating BEFORE October 3rd, 2023 must file its first form with OhioMHAS by November 3rd, 2023.
  • Residence that began operating on or AFTER October 3rd, 2023 must file its first form with OhioMHAS no later than 30 days after the first resident is occupied in the residence.

For more information and to register a Recovery Housing Residence online visit: click here. 

To view the recording from the October 13th Technical Assistance session visit: https://mha.ohio.gov/about-us/media-center/events/recovery_housing_residence_registration_technical_assistance_session

For questions about the registration process please contact the Office of Recovery Supports and Housing at [email protected].