For most of her career, scientist Amy Mericle, PhD, has worked in treatment and recovery research, including recovery housing. Her latest project, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), aims to develop and provide a complete picture of the national recovery housing landscape in the US, which will help better understand how this model effectively supports a person’s recovery from addiction.
Project PI Amy Mericle, PhD
The four-year study will gather information on the availability of recovery housing, where houses are located, and environments that support them. It will also collect characteristics of the residences, including policies, practices, programming, and service delivery models to see if differences or similarities vary by geographical location and to determine if these characteristics are informed by evidence-based practices.
One of the project’s goals is to establish a national database of recovery residences – an essential tool to help build and foster research on recovery housing’s role in supporting a person’s sobriety. A survey is also planned which will include a random sample of 800 houses stratified by state.
Geo-coded data will then be used to illustrate the essential features of recovery housing while enabling the assessment of contextual factors such as drug treatment services, alcohol outlets, and crime.
A diverse group of experts in treatment, recovery, and housing will consult on the project, helping to inform the work. The study will run from 2019 to 2023.
Read more about the project and its aims.
