Guidance on Starting and Operating Halfway Houses
Opening up a halfway house can be a fulfilling (and more accessible) part of the substance abuse space for establishing ownership. Not only can a halfway house business prove highly profitable, but many alternative routes exist to secure funding outside of your own liquid assets.
Most importantly, a sober living house can be spiritually fulfilling as it is financially, as you have the opportunity to assist those on the last leg of recovery from substance abuse.
You’re tasked with the role of establishing a supportive environment, helping those recover from drug abuse and mental health disorders while receiving life skills training. If you ever want to learn how to start a halfway house, this short guide is for you.
Follow Ads Up Marketing as we lay the foundation for what it takes to establish a halfway house or set of halfway houses and put together a rock solid business plan.
Halfway Houses: No Easy Route to Success
While rewarding, opening a halfway house is nothing to shake a stick at. You must comply with certain government agencies and be appropriately licensed as a halfway house business, maintain relationships with healthcare providers and insurance companies, and a slew of other meticulous items – and that only gets the doors open.
Opening a sober living home is an excellent way to gain favor among other community organizations and establish yourself as a pillar of hope and support for locals. However, it’s essential to be aware that opening such a business requires a comprehensive business plan and plenty of discipline, passion, and dedication. If you’re considering taking on such a venture, the team at Ads Up Marketing can help you from start to finish.
The following steps will help guide you toward success. Remember that our team is always available to polish your efforts at any point.
Crucial Steps to Opening a Recovery Residence
Use the following steps to begin doing your part in the addiction recovery space as a halfway house facility owner. For more comprehensive information about the beginning stages and maintaining the proper standing, contact Ads Up Marketing, and we’ll be happy to assist.
1. Define Your Mission
Start your halfway house journey by defining your mission. Decide if you’d like to cater to men and women or any other specific section of the population. Do you want a halfway house that caters to those looking for amenities and offerings, or would you like to offer something more modest? Defining your missions and goals gives you the starting point you need to continue building your organization for independent living.
2. Do Your Homework
Before opening a halfway house, you must do your due diligence before jumping headfirst. Pound the pavement and do some homework regarding similar organizations. Find out what it took to get them off the ground. After, inquire about your local zoning laws and create financial projections to develop an accurate budget.
3. Establish a Realistic Business Plan
After learning basic knowledge, it’s time to establish a realistic business plan for your halfway house. Create a plan to raise awareness for your new home or group of houses, how to locate funding opportunities, network with local professionals, and spread the word about employment opportunities for those looking for work in the substance use treatment industry. Put different marketing tools to the best of your ability and determine your target population.
4. Secure Funding
There are multiple ways to secure funding for your halfway house business plan. If you plan on operating as a non-profit, there are many government grants and funds you have access to that help you open for business.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration offers a grant resource that can be helpful. Otherwise, look into financial institutions that can help you with a loan to purchase the property that will ultimately become your halfway house.
5. Establish Opportunities for Residents
Establishing revenue and funding opportunities for your residents is key to opening a halfway house. Create networks with local organizations that operate in a similar space, including primary care physicians and mental health clinics.
Reach out to insurance agencies and develop a host of local doctors, practices, and organizations that accept a wide range of insurances, giving your residents the convenience of obtaining other services they need with little hassle—open contact with local businesses to give them the employment opportunities they need to establish independence.
6. Locate the Property and Make It Come to Life
Find the property you want that clearly defines your goal when you open a halfway house. What type of community would you like around your home? It’s convenient for your residents if you have essential services near your recovery home. Remember, most of your residents won’t drive or own a vehicle, so locating a residence close to public transportation might attract potential clients.
7. Create House Rules and Structure
Decide on a set of house rules that aren’t too strict or too easy on your residents. A great deal of regulatory compliance will help you establish your house rules, as most states require specific demands of halfway house residents to remain eligible for these living opportunities. Rules should clearly outline:
- Curfew hours
- Cleaning and house chore duties
- Rules governing meals and food purchasing
- Establish rules regarding guests
- Establish rules surrounding random drug testing
8. Hire Your House Manager and Staff
Hire a house manager and fill in the rest of your staff to prepare for opening day. Remember that some halfway houses will require little to no staff at all. This depends on your mission, business model or franchise model, and facility size. However, these are some of the potential positions you could offer the local workforce:
- Nutritional expert/Chef
- Cleaning crew
- Maintenance/lawn care
- Driver/transportation manager
- Security guard
Positions like cleaning crews, chefs, and maintenance and lawn care workers are always optional. You can reserve these for your residents to help them adjust to the everyday responsibilities of maintaining a life of recovery.
9. Advertise Your Business
Advertise your sober living home and decide on marketing tactics. Choose your ad platforms and the specific approach you’d like to take to reach your target demographic.
Returning to your mission will help you establish a plan for advertising and marketing. Utilize social media platforms to spread your message effectively and at a low cost, even with paid social ads. Organizations like our expert team at Ads Up Marketing can help you create effective campaigns to reach the masses.
Get the Guidance You Need for Opening a Halfway House
At Ads Up Marketing, we have a vision for operating a successful substance abuse treatment business.
From inpatient and outpatient rehabs to sober living homes, our team brings decades of combined experience to help deliver the expertise you need to rise above the competition and provide practical guidance to your clients.
For more information on how we can help you start your halfway house, reach out to a member of our team today.
Free Digital Marketing Analysis
