Florida sets out four levels of recovery residence support
Florida law describes four levels of support for recovery residences, and the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR) certifies homes against them. The levels are distinguished by how much staff supervision and structure a residence provides—not by quality. FARR states plainly that no level is inherently better than another; each offers appropriate support for people at different stages of recovery.
Certification in Florida is voluntary. The Department of Children and Families approves at least one credentialing entity to run the certification program for recovery residences and a separate one for the administrators who run them. FARR is the approved credentialing entity for residences, and it follows the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR) Standards and Code of Ethics.
That distinction matters when you compare homes. A residence can be well run without holding a certificate, and a certificate does not turn a home into a licensed treatment facility. What certification does is put a home’s policies, staffing, and physical conditions through an outside review that can be renewed, monitored, and revoked.
What each level actually requires
A Level I residence houses people who have completed treatment with a minimum of nine months of sobriety and is run democratically by the residents themselves. There is no house manager making rules; peers hold each other accountable. That model suits someone well established in recovery, not someone who needs oversight.
A Level II residence is the traditional sober living home: oversight from a house manager with lived experience of recovery, rules set out in a resident handbook provided by the certified recovery residence administrator, dues where applicable, and residents working toward defined milestones in a chosen recovery path.
A Level III residence provides higher supervision by staff with formal training, is staffed 24 hours a day, and offers peer-support services such as life skill mentoring, recovery planning, and meal preparation for people who need a more structured environment in early recovery. Clinical services may not be performed there.
A Level IV residence is offered or referred by a licensed service provider to its own patients, who are required to live there while receiving intensive outpatient or higher levels of outpatient care. It is staffed around the clock, residents follow a treatment plan and attend sessions, and all licensable clinical services are delivered offsite.
- Level I: resident-run, minimum nine months of sobriety
- Level II: house manager oversight, written handbook, defined milestones
- Level III: trained staff on site 24/7, peer-support services, no clinical services on site
- Level IV: tied to a licensed provider’s patients, treatment plan required, clinical care off site
Why Level II is the level most women comparing sober homes should understand
Level II is the level that describes what most people picture when they say “sober living”: a home with a manager who enforces written expectations, residents who are accountable to a handbook rather than to each other alone, and a recovery path with identifiable milestones. It assumes you are well enough to work and be in the community, and it gives you structure while you do that.
Brevard Grace House is being certified at Level II. Live-in house management, a written resident agreement, weekly house meetings, shared household responsibilities, and at least 32 hours per week of work, education, volunteering, or approved productive activity all sit inside that model. Weekly group coaching is part of the residence’s program; it is coaching, not psychotherapy, and it does not replace licensed clinical care.
Under Florida law, a “certified recovery residence” means a home that holds a valid certificate of compliance and is actively managed by a certified recovery residence administrator. So when you ask about a home’s certification, ask about both pieces: the residence’s certificate and the administrator’s credential.
- Written expectations rather than informal norms
- A house manager with lived recovery experience
- Dues or a weekly rate, with the terms in writing
- Defined milestones in a chosen recovery path
- Room to work, study, and keep outside appointments
What “certification in review” means at Brevard Grace House
Brevard Grace House is going through the FARR Level 2 certification review process and will be a FARR Level 2 home once certified. It is not certified today, and the home is not open yet: it opens January 15, 2027 and is accepting inquiries now for future admission. An inquiry does not reserve a placement, and no one should describe the home as currently certified when passing it along as a referral.
You can check certification claims yourself. Florida law requires the Department of Children and Families to publish lists on its website of recovery residences holding a valid certificate of compliance and of recovery residence administrators holding valid certificates. If a home tells you it is certified, ask which certificate it holds, when it was issued, and when it expires, then confirm it on the published list.
Ask the same questions of every home you tour. Certification is one signal among many: the written agreement, the arrival process, the medication policy, the curfew and visitor procedures, and how the home handles a relapse matter just as much, and none of those should be inferred from a badge on a website.
Ask these questions before you commit to a Florida residence
Start with the level and why it fits you. A woman leaving detox after a few weeks may need more structure than a resident-run Level I home gives; a woman eight months into recovery with a steady job may not want a Level III home with staff on site around the clock. Ask the residence directly which level it is and how it meets your situation.
Then get the practical terms in writing before you pay anything: the weekly rate and what it includes, the move-in fee, payment timing, the handbook, the medication and MAT policy, curfew and visitor procedures, and the departure and refund terms. For a home that has not opened yet, ask what you are committing to and what happens if your plans change.
Brevard Grace House is a women-only recovery residence at $195 per week, all-inclusive, plus a one-time $100 move-in fee, opening January 15, 2027. Call or text admissions at (407) 758-0958 and name Brevard Grace House to ask about certification status and future admission. Keep medical records and detailed health information out of introductory texts.
Sources & further reading
These resources explain general recovery housing standards and support options; they do not certify or endorse Brevard Grace House.
General educational content, not medical or legal advice. Confirm house policies, rates, location, and availability directly with admissions.