1.C.7. Peer governance

NARR Standard 3.0: 1.C.7. Involve residents in governance

This standard addresses protocols for how residents’ voices are heard in the community. At all levels of recovery residences, as defined by NARR, residents play a role in house governance. Self-governance, in particular, is a hallmark of Levels I and II. There are a number of theoretical and research-based motivations for this standard: Social model recovery reinforces residence involvement in governance (staff role, authority base; governance), and recovery capital literature is grounded in the concepts of hope, self confidence, and self-determination,21, 22 all of which are enhanced by this participatory process. The psychological dense of community4 is also a helpful framework for this standard, as group membership is enhanced through shared leadership. The Oxford House, a model of recovery housing that promotes self-governance and resident leadership, has been evaluated using the Psychological Sense of Community Scale (PSCS)6 and has demonstrated positive recovery outcomes.18, 23, 24 Therapeutic communities25 with community councils also reflect this governance model. — NARR Standard 3.0 Compendium

The standard is upheld by the following rules.

• 1.C.7.a. Evidence that some rules are made by the residents that the residents (not the staff) implement.
• 1.C.7.b. Grievance policy and procedures, including the right to take unresolved grievances to the operator’s oversight organization.
• 1.C.7.c. Verification that written resident’s rights and requirements (e.g. residence rules and grievance process) are posted or otherwise available in common areas.
• 1.C.7.d. Policies and procedures that promote resident-driven length of

  stay.

• 1.C.7.e. Evidence that residents have opportunities to be heard in the governance of the residence; however, decision making remains with the operator.

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