This letter was submitted to the Valley News.
Recovery Housing is on the ballot in Lebanon on March 11. The ballot question #2 seeks to amend zoning in R1, R2, and R3 to allow certified Recovery Houses in those zones. I enthusiastically support this change.
First, I feel the name should be “Reintegration Home” as the people who opt to live there have been through rehabilitation/treatment for their drug or alcohol use disorder and are now ready to continue the work of reestablishing themselves as contributing members of a community.
I have had some experience with Certified Recovery Housing when a relative accessed services of a recovery home in Northern NH.
During my visits over the course of a year to the home, I found it to be clean, organized, and well maintained both inside and out. Staff provided good oversight with stringent expectations and rules. The folks living there were friendly and cordial, frequently asking to help us on the occasions we were carrying items to deliver to our loved one.
Daily 12-step meeting attendance was required, residents were connected to therapists and required to seek employment.
The recovery house resident found potential employers to be supportive, accepting and encouraging to the applicant, acknowledging the hard work the resident was doing to take new control of their life.
Fast forward three years and we find our family member not only thriving in that NH community, but with solid employment, and active leadership roles in a local church, a regional theater and in surrounding communities.
We, the residents of Lebanon must provide to our own citizens the same opportunity to those who need a home base to continue the work of rebuilding their lives, and reintegrating themselves into a community that will benefit from the skills and gifts they can bring to the whole of our Lebanon community.
Jeanette Hutchins
West Lebanon, NH