Ethics in Sober Living and the Law, Part 1
- Steve Meiterman
- Nov 5
- 5 min read
With New Jersey’s new sober living regulations having taken effect in 2025, individuals and treatment providers across the Northeast — including in New York and Pennsylvania — are paying close attention to how structured recovery housing is evolving in the region.
Earlier this summer, New Jersey bill S-2952 was signed into law resulting in new rules requiring all licensed sober living homes to have paid staff onsite from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. every night.
Lawmakers deserve credit for recognizing the vulnerabilities that can arise when residents are left without immediate access to support during nighttime hours — and for taking action to close that gap.
By passing this rule, state leaders are signaling their commitment to protecting individuals in recovery and strengthening the quality of sober living environments. These are not easy laws to craft; they require balancing practical considerations with the ultimate goal of safeguarding residents. Their efforts show a real dedication to ensuring sober living homes provide more than just a bed — they offer structure, support, and safety.
At Midway House of NJ, we support reasonable oversight. We believe in structure, accountability, and safety. But we also believe that real recovery support doesn’t begin or end with a staffing schedule — and regulations alone won’t stop bad actors from taking advantage of people in early sobriety. That’s why ethics in sober living must go far beyond compliance.
The Intention Behind the Rule
The new overnight staffing rule was introduced by the Department of Human Services (DHS) as part of a broader effort to standardize care and improve outcomes for people in sober living. It reflects a growing understanding that unmonitored homes can become breeding grounds for relapse, exploitation, or worse.
And that concern is valid. We've all heard the stories — homes where residents are left without supervision, where drug use goes unnoticed or ignored, and where the atmosphere is more chaotic than healing. Having someone present overnight can absolutely reduce risks.
But here’s the catch: regulations only work if the people implementing them care about doing the right thing — and that’s essential to provide patients in treatment with the support they need to succeed in their recovery.
Why Good Laws Still Need Good Operators
While this legislation is a welcome improvement, it’s important to remember that laws alone can’t guarantee ethical care. Even with an overnight staffing mandate, there are still opportunities for providers — especially those driven more by profit than recovery outcomes — to cut corners elsewhere.
Some might hire minimally trained overnight staff just to meet the letter of the law, without ensuring they can actually provide meaningful help in a crisis.
Many facilities and third-party operators exploit the vulnerability of people exiting inpatient care. They offer “free” sober living accommodations, often bundling them with outpatient or IOP services. These offers sound generous — until the fine print (or the rent invoice) arrives.
It’s a familiar pattern:
A client is referred to a “sober living” facility operated or influenced by a treatment provider.
The residence is initially free or low-cost while the individual is attending their program.
As soon as insurance stops covering services or the resident graduates from treatment, rent is raised—often dramatically.
By this point, the residents are emotionally invested, possibly unemployed, and deeply reliant on the home for support.
This is the bait-and-switch model, and it’s not only unethical — it’s damaging. It exploits individuals at one of the most vulnerable points in their lives, and it creates an uneven playing field for ethical providers who rely on transparent practices and steady, predictable pricing.
This is where the true difference between providers emerges: ethical operators see new requirements as a floor, not a ceiling. They use laws like this one as an opportunity to further enhance resident safety and recovery outcomes — not as a checklist item to meet at the lowest possible cost.
The Role of Ethical Sober Living Homes
At Midway House of NJ, we believe overnight staffing is a vital layer of support — but only one part of a larger commitment to ethical, resident-focused care. A home could meet every staffing requirement and still be exploiting residents financially, emotionally, or clinically. That’s why ethical sober living homes must do more than the bare minimum.
At Midway House of NJ, we’ve always gone above and beyond:
Highly trained staff available around the clock.
Transparent and consistent rent structures, without hidden fees or surprise increases.
Separation of housing from treatment to avoid the financial entanglements that can sometimes lead to conflicts of interest and patient coercion.
Safe, structured environments that encourage independence and accountability.
Collaboration with treatment centers and outpatient providers to ensure continuity of care.
We believe that sober living homes should be held to high standards — but those standards must reflect ethics, not just logistics.
In contrast, many of the larger corporate-affiliated homes — including the ones offering “free” housing as an incentive — can easily absorb the cost. Ironically, this may give less ethical operators a competitive advantage, while pushing out grassroots recovery communities that operate with honesty and heart.
That’s why it’s critical for the public, for treatment providers, and for families to look beyond the license or the regulation and ask:
Who’s really doing this for the right reasons?
What to Look for in an Ethical Sober Living Home
Whether you’re a provider referring clients to sober living, or a loved one helping someone rebuild their life, here are five signs you’re working with a reputable home:
Transparent Pricing – No surprises. Rent, fees, and rules are clearly explained from the start.
Separation from Treatment – The home isn’t tied to your insurance coverage or treatment attendance.
On-Site Support – Not just overnight staffing, but meaningful engagement and structure.
Resident Rights – House policies are written, fair, and include grievance procedures.
Recovery-Oriented Culture – The environment supports real growth, not just compliance.
The new law strengthens the sober living landscape in New Jersey to the benefit of recovery patients in-state, as well as those coming from neighboring cities like New York City, Albany, or Philadelphia. But the real work happens in how providers choose to implement it — whether they do the minimum to comply or go above and beyond to support recovery.
For families, the takeaway is simple: legislation like this is a positive step, but due diligence in selecting a sober living home remains essential. Look for providers who see compliance not as the finish line, but as the starting point for building ethical, effective recovery housing.
At Midway House of NJ, these aren’t boxes we check — they’re principles we live by. Because for us, sober living is more than housing. It’s about building a foundation where real recovery can happen, one day at a time, with dignity and respect.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of our series, where we’ll explore how New Jersey’s new legislation — Senate Bill 4015 — is changing the legal landscape for sober homes, and what that means for ethics in recovery housing.