If you or someone you love is looking at recovery housing in Ohio, the rules are about to change. Gov. Mike DeWine signed an emergency executive order on Monday afternoon that lets the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health certify recovery homes directly, a job the state had left to two outside organizations.
For Ohio families, the practical question is simple: how do you tell a legitimate recovery home from one that is not? The order is meant to make that easier to answer.
What the Order Changes
Until now, Ohio did not directly oversee recovery housing. It relied on accreditation from Ohio Recovery Housing and Oxford House Inc.
Under the new order, the state Department of Behavioral Health can certify homes itself, and Director Tia Marcel Moretti said the agency has started hiring more survey staff to do the work.
The order lasts 120 days. DeWine has asked the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review to make it permanent. House Bill 58, introduced last year by Rep. Justin Pizzulli and passed unanimously by the Ohio House in February, would go further, but the legislature is out for the summer and action before November is unlikely.
Recovery Housing in Ohio Grew Fast
The growth is the backdrop for all of this. Ohio had 356 recovery houses in 2022. In 2026 it has more than 1,700, according to state data DeWine cited.
Not all of them sought accreditation from either organization. DeWine told reporters that a growing number of uncertified homes are operating, and he was blunt about their status.
“These noncertified homes are operating illegally,” he said. He added that the department has already taken legal action and needs to do more.
Why Oversight Became a Concern
Some homes have unsanitary or unsafe living conditions, DeWine said. He appeared alongside Sen. Terry Johnson and Rep. Pizzulli, who raised concerns about people exploiting the system, particularly in southern Ohio.
The county numbers show why. Scioto County, a rural county of roughly 74,000 residents, has 111 accredited recovery houses.
That is close to the count in Hamilton County, which contains Cincinnati and is far larger. Johnson described the financial incentive plainly, noting that someone with two or three aging houses can convert them into recovery homes rather than tear them down.
Understanding Recovery Housing
Recovery housing means substance-free residences for people recovering from addiction. These are not treatment programs.
A recovery home does not provide medical care, addiction therapy, or medication management. It provides a stable, drug-free and alcohol-free place to live, usually with house rules, peer accountability, and expectations around work or school.
Many people use recovery housing after finishing inpatient treatment, when returning to an old environment would put early recovery at risk.
Because these homes are not clinical settings, the quality of a home depends heavily on how it is run, which is exactly the problem Ohio is trying to address.
What Ohio Residents Should Ask Before Moving In
A few questions can tell you a lot:
- Is the home certified by the state, Ohio Recovery Housing, or Oxford House?
- What are the house rules, and how are they enforced?
- What are the total monthly costs, and what is included?
- Are residents required or encouraged to be in treatment or peer support at the same time?
- What happens if a resident returns to substance use?
- If a home cannot answer these clearly, that is worth taking seriously.
Finding Addiction Treatment in Ohio
Recovery housing works best alongside treatment, not instead of it. If you are earlier in the process, searching addiction treatment centers in Ohio by city and level of care will give you a clearer picture of what is available near you, from medical detox through outpatient care.
Addictions.com lists treatment centers in Ohio by state and city, with details on treatment types, insurance accepted, and populations served. Call
800-681-1058
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to start receiving recovery support today.