Rescued Lives

An effective treatment to help those with addictions
Victims of drug addiction, chronic illness, and mental illness all too often are overwhelmed with the affliction called hopelessness. Oxford Houses succeed because their substance abuse treatment approach instills the most powerful medicine—hope for recovery. Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse provides a comprehensive thought-provoking look at just how the innovative Oxford House model inspires positive action on one of our country’s most serious problems—substance abuse. This powerful book presents the success stories of the people living in these community homes and explains just how it has worked for them.
Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse gives an insightful review of Oxford House’s history and the development of the approach. Residents’ stories reveal the treatment process on the road to recovery, allowing readers to glimpse the path each individual must travel to gain entrance and assimilate into the House community. As the residents gain more control over themselves living substance free, the reader discovers the importance of relationships and reframing of self in the recovery process. This powerful book can provide hope to those individuals who feel they have lost themselves in alcohol, drugs, and mental illness. Foreword by substance abuse scholar Bill White.
Topics in Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse include:
• an overview of substance abuse in today’s society
• a history of Oxford House to the present
• substance abuse treatment approaches
• the process of a resident’s entrance and assimilation
• providing hope and living substance free
• the nationwide expansion of Oxford Houses
• recovery, and what it means to women, children, and families
• criminal offenders in Oxford House
• how the Oxford House model is constructed in order to help disenfranchised individuals from society
• the nine Oxford House Traditions
• a review of the strong evidence that Oxford House works
—and why
• and more!
Rescued Lives: The Oxford House Approach to Substance Abuse is enlightening reading for educators and students of psychology, sociology, urban studies, education, and other courses designed to prepare students for careers in the helping professions. This book is also essential for practicing clinicians, anyone concerned with society’s problems and those impacted by substance abuse and mental illness.

Leonard A. Jason, PhD, is a professor of psychology at DePaul University, Chicago, where he heads the Center for Community Research. He has published hundreds of articles and book chapters on treating and preventing substance abuse and has co-authored Creating Communities for Addiction Recovery (2006), in which he presented a series of research studies on the Oxford House model.
Bradley D. Olson, PhD, is a research assistant professor at Northwestern University, and has published numerous research articles, including many on consumer-run recovery homes (e.g., Olson et al., 2002).
Karen Foli, PhD, holds a doctorate in communications research from the University of Illinois. She has written two very well-received books: Like Sound Through Water and The Post-Adoption Blues with co-author John R. Thompson, MD.

Foreword (Bill White)
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
PART I. THE OXFORD HOUSE MODEL
Chapter 1. A Society in Crisis
The Future
Chapter 2. A Sobering Beginning: The First Oxford House
Insider Influence
The First Oxford House
Chapter 3. The Roads to Recovery: Substance Abuse Treatment Approaches and Oxford House
Treatment Models
Oxford House Approach
Chapter 4. The Oxford House Experience: Entrance and Assimilation
Making the Decision
The New Resident
Chapter 5. The Oxford House Experience: Living Substance Free
Relationships
Reframing of Self
PART II. EXPANDING THE OXFORD HOUSE APPROACH
Chapter 6. History Is Made
Legislation
An Explosion of Growth
Chapter 7. Women, Children, and Families
Demographics
Relationships
Responsibilities
Sense of Self
Chapter 8. Criminal Offenders and Recovery
Society’s Perceptions
Reentry into Society
Relationships
Responsibilities
Sense of Self
Chapter 9. Society’s Disenfranchised
Society’s Perceptions
Relationships
Responsibilities
Sense of Self
Reentry into Society
Chapter 10. An Invitation Is Extended
The Next Step
The Oxford House Traditions
Chapter 11. Does Oxford House Work?
Compelling Evidence
A Broadened Vision of Helping
Chapter 12. The Researchers’ Stories
Community Psychology
Community Psychology Meets Oxford House
Chapter 13. A Watershed Moment
A New Paradigm
The Oxford House Approach in Other Settings
Appendix
References
Index