State resource guide

Rhode Island Recovery Houses & Sober Living: Resources & Directory

Find recovery housing and sober living resources for Rhode Island: certification through Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES), the state's registration requirement starting in 2027, zoning protections, and organizations that support people in recovery. Browse the guide below or choose your county.

Open a home in Rhode Island Find homes by county

Last reviewed October 29, 2026Every resource links to its source

Rhode Island recovery house rules at a glance

Certification and registration: Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) certifies; the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) registers
State registration: Required for every recovery housing facility starting January 1, 2027
Referrals and state funding: Only certified recovery houses may receive state referrals or state funding
Zoning: Towns must zone National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) certified homes like any other residence (H 8040 of 2026)

Step by step

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in Rhode Island

To open a recovery house in Rhode Island, plan for certification by Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) under National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) standards, check local zoning, and register with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH), which every recovery housing facility must do by January 1, 2027.

The steps most new operators follow to open a recovery house in Rhode Island, in order. Each one links to the official form or rule behind it.

1
Plan for certification and registration
State requirement
Only certified houses may take referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities or receive state funding. Starting January 1, 2027, every recovery housing facility must register with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) and follow the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) certification process.
- R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13 (recovery housing certification)
2
Check local zoning
Local requirement
Under H 8040 of 2026, cities and towns must zone NARR-certified recovery homes like any other residence. Contact your city or town before you sign a lease. The Fair Housing Act protects people in recovery from discriminatory land-use decisions.
- 2026 -- H 8040: zoning for NARR-certified recovery residences
- The Fair Housing Act
3
Contact RICARES about certification
State requirement
Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) runs NARR certification in Rhode Island. Its website links an Opening a New House form for operators.
- Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES)
4
Get certified before taking state referrals or funding
State requirement
Don't accept referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities, or state funding, until the house is certified. Certified houses appear on RICARES's list of recovery homes.
- R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13 (recovery housing certification)
- Recovery Homes in Rhode Island
5
Register with BHDDH by January 1, 2027
State requirement
Every recovery housing facility, including houses that take no state referrals or funding, must be registered with BHDDH starting January 1, 2027.
- R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13 (recovery housing certification)
6
Stay certified and answer complaints
State requirement
RICARES handles complaints about violations of certification requirements and conflicts between residents and operators, using mediation, operator training and quality improvement plans. Tell residents how to reach the complaint process.
- Recovery House Complaints (Complaint Center)

Startup checklist

Decide whether you'll take state referrals or state funding
Call your city or town about zoning
Contact RICARES about NARR certification
Complete RICARES's Opening a New House form
Wait for certification before accepting state referrals or funding
Register the house with BHDDH by January 1, 2027
Tell residents how to reach RICARES's complaint process

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Opening your first house?

Talk it through with an operator for 30 minutes. We’ll go over your model, zoning, policies, and the license or certification you need, and you’ll leave with a clear next-step checklist.

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Licensing and certification

Recovery house requirements in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, only certified recovery houses may receive referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities or receive state funding (R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13). Starting January 1, 2027, every recovery housing facility must register with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) and follow the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) certification process, run by Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES). A 2026 law (H 8040) requires towns to zone NARR-certified homes like any other residence.

State requirements, local requirements, and voluntary certification are labeled separately. Confirm how they apply to your home with the agency or qualified counsel.

State requirement

Certification for state referrals and funding

Under R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13, state agencies and state-funded facilities may refer people only to certified recovery houses, and only certified houses may receive state funding. Certification follows National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) standards and is run by Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES), the state's NARR affiliate.

State requirement

Registration with BHDDH from January 1, 2027

R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13, as amended by P.L. 2025 ch. 278, requires every recovery housing facility to register with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) and follow the NARR certification process starting January 1, 2027. Until then, certification is required only for state referrals and funding.

R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13 (recovery housing certification)

Local requirement

Zoning for certified homes

H 8040 of 2026 (R.I. Gen. Laws 45-24-33.1) requires cities and towns to zone NARR-certified recovery homes like any other residence. The federal Fair Housing Act also protects people in recovery from discriminatory land-use decisions, and the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights takes discrimination charges.

State requirement

Complaints about certified houses

RICARES runs the complaint process for violations of housing certification requirements and for conflicts between residents and a house manager, operator or organization. Its tools include mediation, operator training, quality improvement plans, and voluntary relocation to another certified house.

Recovery House Complaints (Complaint Center)

For residents and families

Finding and paying for sober living in Rhode Island

To find a certified recovery house in Rhode Island, check the Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) list of recovery homes. RICARES also handles complaints from residents. For a behavioral health crisis, call 988 or BH Link at (401) 414-5465, any time. 211 Rhode Island connects people to local resources 24/7.

Official directories for finding a licensed recovery house or sober living home, and programs that can help pay for a stay. Programs set their own eligibility, and funding or openings are never guaranteed. Contact each organization to confirm what it can offer.

Finding a recovery house or sober living home

Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) · Rhode Island

Recovery Homes in Rhode Island

RICARES's alphabetical list of certified recovery houses in Rhode Island by operator, with each house's gender, city, level and certification date. Confirm availability directly with each house.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Oxford House, Inc. · United States

Oxford House Vacancies

Search tool for open beds in Oxford Houses (self-run, self-supported recovery homes), filterable by state (including Rhode Island), county, and house type, with an online application.

Oxford House, Inc. (301) 587-2916; toll-free (800) 689-6411

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Oxford House, Inc. · United States

Oxford House, Inc.

Nonprofit that charters democratically run, self-supported Oxford House recovery homes, where residents split expenses equally and there is no house manager.

(301) 587-2916; (800) 689-6411

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Help paying for sober living or a recovery house

Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) · Rhode Island

BHDDH Grant Funded Recovery Housing Rates (1-Year Grant and 6-Month Booster Grant)

BHDDH pays a daily rate toward a resident's stay at NARR Level II or Level III recovery housing. The 1-Year Grant starts at $26/day (Level II) or $33/day (Level III) and steps down at day 91 and day 181. A 6-Month Booster Grant is available once the 1-Year Grant has been expired for at least three months. Residents must be 18 or older, lawfully in the U.S., Rhode Island residents for at least six months, have income within the program's federal poverty guideline limit, and not need detox; individual houses may add their own criteria, and the house manager or operator reassesses eligibility. Ask a recovery house whether it accepts BHDDH grant-funded residents.

Published or revised Feb 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Treatment and referral navigation

Horizon Healthcare Partners · Rhode Island

BH Link

Rhode Island's 24/7 crisis receiving and stabilization center for adults 18 and older with mental health or substance use concerns, offering assessment and connections to care with no appointment needed. You don't need to be suicidal or in immediate danger to get help.

Call 988 or (401) 414-5465; walk-in at 975 Waterman Avenue, East Providence

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

HealthSource RI · Rhode Island

Medicaid - HealthSource RI

Fill out one application to find out if you qualify for free or low-cost Medicaid or for other health coverage. You can apply online, by phone, or in person at a Department of Human Services office, and a certified enroller can help for free.

1-855-840-4774 (TTY 1-888-657-3173)

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services · Rhode Island

Overview: How to Apply for Medicaid

How to apply for Rhode Island Medicaid, whose applications the Department of Human Services processes: online at healthyrhode.ri.gov, by mail, or by dropping a paper application at any DHS office. The page also explains where to get help and which documents may be needed.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

Recovery community organizations

Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) · Rhode Island

Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES)

A Providence-based hub for Rhode Island's recovery community, working on advocacy, community building, peer workforce development and recovery housing. Its site links an Opening a New House form for operators.

+1 401 475 2960; 166 Valley St., Ste. 105, Providence, RI 02909

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

United Way of Rhode Island · Rhode Island

211 Rhode Island

A free, confidential, 24/7 service where trained 211 staff connect Rhode Islanders with housing, food, child care and other local resources, with translation in many languages.

Dial 211 or (401) 519-0360; text 898-211

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Employment and education

Rhode Island Department of Human Services, Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) · Rhode Island

Apply Now

How to apply for vocational rehabilitation services from the Office of Rehabilitation Services: call VR Intake, or download the application and return it to the Providence office.

VR Intake (401) 421-7005; RI Relay 711

Checked by ARKHE Oct 29, 2026

Funding

Recovery house grants and funding in Rhode Island

In Rhode Island, most public money for recovery housing flows through the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH), which pays certified recovery houses a daily rate for eligible residents and contracts with recovery housing organizations. Only houses certified through Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) can receive state funding. Opioid settlement money, managed by the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) with its Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, and the federal Recovery Housing Program (RHP) fund new recovery housing through state solicitations.

Grants and public programs that can pay operators or cover residents’ stays. Public funding often requires a state license or certification, and every program sets its own eligibility and timeline, so confirm details with the agency.

Grants and funding programs

Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) · Rhode Island

Recovery Housing Certification and BHDDH reimbursement

Certification through RICARES is voluntary, but a recovery house needs it to receive referrals or state funds. RICARES-certified houses can be reimbursed by BHDDH for services while funding is available; the page links to BHDDH's contracting application.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Rhode Island Governor's Overdose Task Force (with RIDOH, BHDDH and EOHHS) · Rhode Island

Funding Announcements (recovery housing solicitations)

The state's list of open and past overdose-related funding opportunities, including recovery housing rounds such as the federal Recovery Housing Program (RHP) for people in recovery from a substance use disorder, BHDDH Recovery House Services contracts for NARR-certified residences, and State Opioid Response recovery housing solicitations. Most state listings link to the State Controller's grants portal to apply. No recovery housing round is open right now; new rounds have been posted here each year.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Rhode Island Governor's Overdose Task Force (with EOHHS) · Rhode Island

Rhode Island Opioid Settlement: how funds are allocated

80% of Rhode Island's opioid settlement money is allocated through the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee, EOHHS, the Governor and the General Assembly, and 20% goes to cities and towns. Access to recovery housing for people with opioid use disorder is one of the listed recovery uses. Organizations can follow current solicitations, read the bid and solicitation guide, comment at open committee meetings, or email the committee.

[email protected]

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

USDA Rural Development · Rhode Island

Community Facilities Direct Loan & Grant Program in Rhode Island

Low-interest loans and grants to buy, build, or improve essential facilities, including transitional housing, in rural areas of 20,000 people or fewer. Open to public bodies, community-based nonprofits and federally recognized tribes, not for-profit operators. Applications are accepted year round; contact USDA Rural Development's Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island state office first.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Public payment and scholarships for residents’ stays

Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) · Rhode Island

BHDDH Grant Funded Recovery Housing Rates (1-Year Grant and 6-Month Booster Grant)

Published or revised Feb 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Official documents

Rhode Island recovery house forms, regulations, and agency pages

Each entry shows who issued it, where it applies, and when we last checked the source.

Opening a home

State of Rhode Island General Assembly · Rhode Island

R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13 (recovery housing certification)

The state law that limits state referrals and state funding to certified recovery houses and, from January 1, 2027, requires every recovery housing facility to register with BHDDH and follow the NARR certification process.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 8, 2026

Resident rights

Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES) · Rhode Island

Recovery House Complaints (Complaint Center)

How residents report violations of recovery housing certification requirements or conflicts with a house manager or operator, through an online form or by phone. The process may not be used as a threat, and RICARES alerts authorities if there appears to be an imminent threat of harm.

+1 401 475 2960

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

Zoning and fair housing

State of Rhode Island General Assembly · Rhode Island

2026 -- H 8040: zoning for NARR-certified recovery residences

The 2026 act (R.I. Gen. Laws 45-24-33.1) that requires cities and towns to zone NARR-certified recovery homes like any other residence.

Published or revised 2026 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 8, 2026

Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights · Rhode Island

How To File A Charge | Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights

How to file a discrimination charge with the state's anti-discrimination agency, including under fair housing laws. Charges must be filed within one year of the alleged harm, and there is no charge for the Commission's services.

(401) 222-2661; Relay 711

Checked by ARKHE Oct 28, 2026

U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division · United States

The Fair Housing Act

DOJ's overview of the federal Fair Housing Act, which bars disability discrimination in housing and bars local governments from using zoning or land use rules to exclude group homes for people with disabilities.

Published or revised Jun 22, 2023 · Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) · United States

Report Housing Discrimination

HUD's page for reporting housing discrimination under the federal Fair Housing Act.

Checked by ARKHE Oct 26, 2026

Common questions

Rhode Island recovery house and sober living FAQ

Do I need a license to open a sober living home in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island doesn't issue a license, but rules are tightening. Today, only certified recovery houses may receive referrals from state agencies or state-funded facilities or receive state funding. Starting January 1, 2027, every recovery housing facility must register with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) and follow the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) certification process.

Who certifies recovery housing in Rhode Island?

Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts (RICARES), the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR), runs recovery housing certification. Its website links an Opening a New House form for operators.

What changes for Rhode Island recovery houses on January 1, 2027?

Under R.I. Gen. Laws 40.1-1-13, as amended in 2025, every recovery housing facility must register with the Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) and follow the NARR certification process starting January 1, 2027. Before then, certification is required only to take state referrals or state funding.

Can a Rhode Island town use zoning to keep a recovery house out?

H 8040 of 2026 requires cities and towns to zone NARR-certified recovery homes like any other residence. The federal Fair Housing Act also bars local governments from using zoning to exclude group homes for people with disabilities. Discrimination charges can go to the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

How do I list my recovery house in this guide for free?

Request a free listing. You choose what it shows, such as who the home serves and its certification. The street address is shown only if you want it to be. Listing never requires ARKHE software.

Nearby state guides

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Rhode Island recovery house rules at a glance

How to open a recovery house or sober living home in Rhode Island

Plan for certification and registration

Check local zoning

Contact RICARES about certification

Get certified before taking state referrals or funding

Register with BHDDH by January 1, 2027

Stay certified and answer complaints

Startup checklist

Opening your first house?

Nearby state guides

Help improve this guide