Explore Sober Houses and Halfway Houses in Miami, Florida

Getting help in Miami: a local guide

Checked November 6, 2026 against the official sources listed at the end. General information, not medical advice.

Of the Miami-area AA meetings listed here, 21 are women's meetings and 223 are held in Spanish. Times change, so confirm with the group before you go.

Sober homes in Florida: certification is voluntary, but it matters

A sober home (Florida law calls it a recovery residence) doesn't need certification to operate. Under section 397.487 of the Florida Statutes, certification is voluntary, and the Department of Children and Families (DCF) has approved the Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR) to certify homes. FARR, the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR), certifies homes to NARR standards and Florida law after an in-person assessment, lists certified housing and takes grievances. The Florida Certification Board certifies the people who run them.

Certification matters for referrals. Under section 397.4873, a licensed treatment provider generally can't refer a patient to a recovery residence, or accept a referral from one, unless the home holds a valid certificate of compliance and is actively managed by a certified recovery residence administrator. The exceptions are narrow, such as homes run democratically by their residents under a charter from an entity recognized or sanctioned by Congress.

Treatment programs are different: DCF licenses substance use treatment providers under Chapter 397, and its substance use disorder provider search shows a provider's license status.

If cost is a barrier

Thriving Mind South Florida manages publicly funded mental health and substance use services for DCF in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Its help line, 888-248-3111, is staffed 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; if you aren't sure where to start, its office is at 305-858-3335. DCF's local services page lists the managing entity for each county.

Crisis and support lines

• In immediate danger, call 911.
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, any time.
• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357), free and confidential treatment referral, 24/7, in English and Spanish (TTY 1-800-487-4889), or text your ZIP code to 435748.

AA in Miami

The Miami-Dade Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous answers its 24-hour helpline at 305-461-2425.

Naloxone (Narcan)

Naloxone reverses an opioid overdose, and the FDA has allowed naloxone nasal spray to be sold without a prescription since 2023. The Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County offers naloxone at five health centers:

• Health District Center, 1350 NW 14th St., Miami
• Little Haiti Health Center, 300 NE 80th Terrace, Miami
• West Perrine Health Center, 18255 Homestead Ave., Miami
• West Dade Health Center, 11865 SW 26th St., Suite J2, Miami
• Florida City Clinic, 1600 NW 6th Court, Homestead

Call 305-324-2400 to confirm before you go, or find other locations through iSaveFL.com, the state's overdose prevention program.

Before you move into a sober home

• Is the home FARR-certified, or an Oxford House? Check FARR's list of certified housing and ask to see proof.
• What does rent cover, what's due at move-in, and is any of it refundable?
• What are the house rules (curfew, chores, meetings, guests), and what happens after a relapse?
• How and how often is drug testing done?
• Does the home accept residents who take medication for addiction treatment, such as buprenorphine, methadone or naltrexone?
• Can you read the written resident agreement before you pay?

Be wary of anyone who offers free rent, travel or cash to get you into a particular program. Florida's Patient Brokering Act (section 817.505) makes it a felony to pay or receive kickbacks for referring patients to a health care provider or facility, and federal law bans kickbacks for referrals to recovery homes and treatment facilities (18 U.S.C. § 220). You can report a certified home that falls short through FARR's grievance form.

Sources

• Florida Statutes § 397.487: voluntary certification of recovery residences
• Florida Statutes § 397.4873: referrals to or from recovery residences
• Florida Statutes § 817.505: Patient Brokering Act
• Florida DCF: recovery residence administrators and recovery residences
• Florida Association of Recovery Residences (FARR)
• Florida DCF: substance use disorder licensing
• Florida DCF: find local services
• Thriving Mind South Florida
• SAMHSA: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
• SAMHSA: National Helpline
• Miami-Dade Intergroup (AA)
• FDA: first over-the-counter naloxone nasal spray
• Florida Department of Health in Miami-Dade County: naloxone locations (June 2025)
• Florida DCF: Overdose Prevention Program (iSaveFL)
• 18 U.S.C. § 220 (Cornell LII)