If your son is finishing rehab and needs a sober place to live in Los Angeles, his main options are a men’s sober living home, a sober apartment, or home with a strong outpatient plan. Blackburn Recovery Services runs men-only sober living homes in Venice, Mar Vista, Cheviot Hills and Mid City, in West Los Angeles. Call (888) 305-5422.
Talk with our team
Your son leaves treatment soon? Talk with our team about a place to land.
Blackburn sober living for men at a glance
Sober living after rehab for your son: the key facts
- Who runs it
- Blackburn Recovery Services, one of the longest running sober living programs for men in West Los Angeles, serving the Westside since 2012.
- Where
- Men’s sober living homes in Venice, Mar Vista, Cheviot Hills and Mid City, plus sober apartments in West Los Angeles.
- Who it is for
- Men 18 and older in recovery, including young men coming straight from residential treatment.
- Structure
- Full-time staff at every home, drug testing 3 times a week, daily alcohol testing, medication management systems and weekly goal setting.
- Families
- With your son’s permission, weekly updates go to the family, providers and treatment team. A free virtual family support group meets every other Tuesday, 6 to 7 PM Pacific.
- Before he leaves
- In-person and virtual tours, so a home can be chosen before discharge. He does not need a job to move in.
- Getting here
- Sober transport from a treatment program anywhere in the US, flights included.
- Contact
- Call or text (888) 305-5422.
What are his options when rehab ends?
His treatment team’s recommendation matters most. Most young men leaving residential treatment end up in one of these four places:
| Option | What it is | Often fits when | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men’s sober living home | A shared, substance-free home with staff, testing, house rules and sober peers | He needs daily structure while he starts outpatient care, work or school | Homes vary widely; ask about staff, testing and updates |
| Sober apartment | Independent sober housing with random testing and no curfew | He already has steady routines and some time sober | Usually too little structure for the first weeks out of rehab |
| Home with outpatient care | Living with family while attending IOP or therapy | Home is stable and substance free, and he has a firm outpatient plan | Old friends, old places and old patterns are close by |
| Another level of treatment | Extended residential care or a partial hospitalization program | His clinicians think he is not ready to step down | Ask the team what would need to change first |
What should you do in the last week before he leaves rehab?
- Call his discharge planner or therapist today. Ask what level of support they recommend and why, and what his outpatient plan is.
- Shortlist two or three sober living homes. Look for men-only homes if he does better with fewer distractions, and for homes close to his outpatient program, work or school.
- Do the tours now. A virtual tour lets your son see the home while he is still in treatment, so he has a say in the choice.
- Ask the same questions of every home. Use the list below, or our longer questions families should ask before a loved one moves into sober living.
- Book his outpatient appointments. The first therapy, IOP or psychiatry appointment should be on the calendar before he walks out.
- Plan the trip. Going straight from treatment to the new home, without stops, avoids the riskiest hours. A family member can drive, or sober transport can bring him from anywhere in the US.
- Talk about overdose risk. After weeks without using, tolerance drops, and a return to old amounts can be deadly. Keep naloxone on hand and know how to use it.
- Agree on how you will stay in touch. Decide with your son what updates you will get and how often, and sign any permissions the home needs to share them.
- Pack light. See what to pack for sober living.
What should you ask a sober living home before he moves in?
- How often do you test for drugs and for alcohol, and is it random?
- Is staff at the house every day, and who do I call if something goes wrong?
- Is the home men only?
- How do you handle medications?
- Will we get updates, how often, and with what permission?
- What happens if he relapses?
- Can he keep his outpatient therapist and program?
- Do you pay or accept referral fees? (We do not pay for referrals.)
Should he come home instead?
Coming home can work when home is stable and free of alcohol and drugs, his outpatient plan is strong, and his clinicians agree. Sober living is often the safer bridge for a young man whose old friends and habits are close to home, who has relapsed after treatment before, or who wants to practice independence with support around him. If you are unsure, ask his treatment team directly which they recommend and what would make home safe.
How do you talk with your son about sober living?
Bring it up before discharge, while his treatment team can support the conversation. Frame it as the next step in the plan he has already worked on, not a punishment. Let him look at the homes and ask his own questions. Young men are more likely to stay where they feel they had a say.
How Blackburn helps families in this exact week
Many of our calls come from parents a few days before a son’s discharge. We talk through what his treatment team recommends, set up an in-person or virtual tour, coordinate with the program on a move-in day, and, when it helps, arrange sober transport. Our homes are for men only, Vivitrol is supported, and clients can keep any of their existing providers. If Blackburn is not the right fit, we will tell you and help point you in the right direction. Read more about sober living for young men in Los Angeles and sober living after rehab in West Los Angeles.
Questions parents ask
Can my son move into sober living the day he leaves rehab?
Moving straight from treatment into sober living is common, and planning a week or more ahead makes it much easier. Call (888) 305-5422 to ask about current openings and a tour before his discharge date.
Does he need a job to move in?
No. Residents do not need a job to move in. Many work full time or go back to school at local colleges once they settle in.
Is Blackburn sober living only for young men?
Blackburn sober living is for men 18 and older. Many residents are young men coming from residential treatment, and others are older.
We live outside Los Angeles. Can he still come to a Blackburn home?
Yes. Men come to our West Los Angeles homes from across Los Angeles County and beyond, and sober transport can bring him from a treatment program anywhere in the US.
Will we know how he is doing?
With your son’s permission, we send weekly updates to families, providers and treatment teams. Families can also join our free virtual family support group every other Tuesday, 6 to 7 PM Pacific.
Sources
- SAMHSA: Best Practices for Recovery Housing (2023)
- BMJ: Loss of tolerance and overdose mortality after inpatient opiate detoxification (2003)
- CDC: Stop Overdose
Talk with us about your son’s next step.
Last updated .