Otter House Recovery

Otter House Recovery Review

Otter House Recovery is a gender-specific sober living home for men who have struggled with addiction located in Fairview, North Carolina. This is a 12-step based program that helps their clients work on life and coping skills while re-acclimating themselves into their communities. The facility is upscale and provides various amenities, while offering a warm and homelike environment for growth. Otter House is not a treatment program, but an opportunity for clients to learn how to live a life in recovery and establish healthy, and helpful relationships with other housemates.

Accommodations and Amenities

The large, two story home is in a private and safe neighborhood in Fairview with plenty of nature surrounding the facility. At any given time there are between four and 10 clients occupying the residence’s six bedrooms. There are several shared bathrooms in the home with granite countertops, full tubs and stand alone showers. Many of the bedrooms are also equipped with walk-in closets.

The house has several common areas that clients have full access to, including the fully stocked kitchen with breakfast bar and stainless steel appliances along with an additional kitchen, covered patio and outdoor patio, large pool and hot tub. There is also a living room with TV and wifi as well as a movie room, and two shared laundry rooms.

Outside the facility grounds has a fire pit, BBQ and well maintained grassy areas.

Rules and Regulations

On average clients remain in the house for at least 30 days. During this time they are required to attend AA, NA or CA meetings at least four times per week, and obtain a sponsor and remain in close contact with them. Within a couple of weeks from the move-in date, clients need to be gainfully employed or attending school full time. If these goals are not fulfilled it has to be proven that clients are actively seeking employment, or volunteering.

Otter House has a zero tolerance policy in terms of clients bringing any drugs or alcohol into the facility. This includes any products that may contain prohibited ingredients. There are random drug screenings held that clients have to submit to. In addition, there are curfews established on the move-in date. After the initial period during which clients get used to the program and day-to-day activities, the curfews of 12:00am weekdays and 1:00am on weekends can be adjusted to accommodate clients’ work schedules if needed.

There are Sunday night dinners and in-house AA meetings that clients are required to attend. In addition there are a lot of services the facility provides its clients. This includes a referral to an IOP that the facility works with, group and individual therapy sessions at least once a week, daily monitoring and medication management, classes in budgeting and case management. There are also on-site visits from a physician who provides a treatment plan.

Every single staff member and the owners of the home are in recovery themselves and active members of the 12-step community. Other staff members are therapists and managers, and include LCAS and MSW.

Extras

Members of the house go on several outings and group activities weekly. This includes bowling nights, sports events, dinners, kayaking, and out-of-town trips to the beach, skiing and hiking.

The facility provides transportation to local meetings and other appointments.

The house is an animal and family-friendly facility and has two house dogs on site.

In Summary

Otter House is a safe and supportive men’s only recovery house that not only provides an environment that is conducive to early recovery, but also shows the residents that there is a lot of fun to be had while sober. The program is very structured and requires a level of commitment and accountability from their clients while showing them a high level of respect for their individuality and experience.