                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

RECOVERY RESIDENCES (§ 37.2-431.1)

A. As used in this section:
			&#8220;Credentialing entity&#8221; means a nonprofit organization that
develops and administers professional certification programs according to
standards of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences or standards endorsed
by Oxford House, Inc.
			&#8220;Level of support&#8221; means the level of support and structure that
a recovery residence provides to residents, as specified in the standards of the
National Alliance for Recovery Residences.
			&#8220;Recovery residence&#8221; means a housing facility that provides
alcohol-free and illicit-drug-free housing to individuals with substance abuse
disorders and individuals with co-occurring mental illnesses and substance abuse
disorders that does not include clinical treatment services.

B. Every recovery residence shall disclose to each prospective resident its
credentialing entity. If the credentialing entity is the National Alliance for
Recovery Residences, the recovery residence shall disclose the level of support
provided by the recovery residence. If the credentialing entity is Oxford House,
Inc., the recovery residence shall disclose that the recovery residence is
self-governed and unstaffed.

C. No person shall operate a recovery residence or advertise, represent, or
otherwise imply to the public that a recovery residence or other housing
facility is certified by the Department unless such recovery residence or other
housing facility has been certified by the Department in accordance with
regulations adopted by the Board. Such regulations (i) may require accreditation
by or membership in a credentialing agency as a condition of certification; (ii)
shall require the recovery residence, as a condition of certification, to comply
with any minimum square footage requirements related to beds and sleeping rooms
established by the credentialing entity or the square footage requirements set
forth in &#xA7; 36-105.4, whichever is greater; and (iii) shall require recovery
residences to report to the Department any death or serious injury that occurs
in the recovery residence. The Department may issue a conditional certification
to any recovery residence that has indicated an intent to receive accreditation
by or membership in a credentialing agency when such accreditation or membership
is a condition of certification. The maximum term of a conditional certification
shall be six months. At the discretion of the Department, a conditional
certification may be renewed for a period not to exceed three months if the
provider is not able to demonstrate compliance with all certification
regulations but demonstrates progress toward compliance. However, in no case
shall the total period of conditional certification exceed nine successive
months. Conditional certifications may be revoked for serious health and safety
concerns. Violation of this subsection is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

D. The Department shall maintain a list of conditionally certified and a list of
certified recovery residences on its website and shall provide (i) for each
recovery residence included on such list, the credentialing entity; (ii) for
recovery residences for which the National Alliance of Recovery Residences is
the credentialing entity, the level of support provided by the recovery
residence; and (iii) for recovery residences for which Oxford House, Inc., is
the credentialing entity, a disclosure that the recovery residence is
self-governed and unstaffed.

HISTORY: 2019, c. 220; 2022, cc. 732, 755; 2024, c. 30; 2025, c. 608.