‘Just not enough’: Greene transitional housing struggling to remain open
A lack of volunteers and funding may force a shut down of two transitional homes in Waynesburg for those recovering from addiction.
While the Oxford House facilities have a high success rate, the homes are meant to be self-sustaining. Resources to continue operations are dwindling, said Bob Terry, a board member for Steps Inside, the nonprofit that started the homes.
“It’s a simple case of overtime, deaths, illnesses and life changes reducing our ability to provide what’s needed,” he said. “People get burnt out. You use up the volunteers. We just can’t do it much longer.”
The houses – one for men and one for women – would normally be maintained by paid outreach workers from Oxford House Inc., but in Greene County they’re run by volunteers from the community due to lack of funding, Terry said.
“We do these fundraisers to help out but it’s just not enough,” said Ralph Bouchard, one of Steps Inside’s founders and current treasurer.
A recent report on Greene’s Oxford Houses indicated that a turnover in both volunteers and residents has “resulted in inconsistencies in the normal operations.”
Terry and Bouchard said their best option would be to transition away from the Oxford House model and into a program that would allow them to seek state funding to operate the homes.
“In Greene County we’re not getting any help from Oxford House (Inc.) as it is so we’re going to have to go with the state requirements and make some changes to our current Oxford House plan which isn’t a problem,” Bouchard said. “Oxford House is okay with that.”
The state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) is developing a funding program for drug and alcohol recovery houses.
Bouchard expects a finalized list of requirements to receive state aid by January 2020, and said plans to alter the Oxford model to meet them. One requirement will likely be a mandatory house manager, a role the Oxford House model doesn’t have.
He’s hopeful the homes survive that long.
“We’re just trying to keep our head above water until that (DDAP) decision comes out or until someone else comes in to take over these houses,” Bouchard said.
As they look toward transition, Terry said, the most difficult part of the process is over because the homes have already been established. If a new program is put into place, those who run it need only to maintain what is there.
Steps Inside has, for over 15 years, helped people recovering from drug and alcohol abuse, Terry said. The nonprofit formed a Community Recovery Committee six years ago and the Oxford Houses were its first project.
“We opened a men’s and then a women’s house,” Terry said. “It took many donations and fundraisers to get the nearly $100,000 for furnishing and renting two houses in downtown Waynesburg.”
The Cumberland Oxford House, a facility for men, opened in 2014. Two years later, Bird Sisters Oxford House opened for women. Currently, eight women and six men live in the homes, Terry said.
Both homes have been producing success stories, he said, noting the Oxford model was chosen because of its proven track record.
“After spending considerable time gathering information, Oxford Houses were the only evidence-based recovery housing, had zero tolerance for drug and alcohol use, were self-supporting after start-up and studies showed (they) had a five times greater success rate than all other types of recovery houses,” Terry said.
Bouchard said maintaining the homes is hard work, but their existence offers a crucial resource to Greene County residents ready to get on a better path.
“We watched hundreds of residents pass through the doors on their way to achieve productive lives without the use of drugs or alcohol,” Terry said.
If interested in volunteering with the Oxford House program, contact Bob Terry at 724-627-0363.