About this Sober House
Maris Center for Women is a sober living home on Elm Street in Salisbury, Massachusetts, in Essex County. Link House, Inc. runs the housing-stability program for up to forty women, partly funded by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Bureau of Substance Abuse Services.
A Women's Housing-Stability Program on Elm Street
Maris Center houses up to forty women focused on recovery and healing, making it the largest single program Link House, Inc. runs. It sits in Salisbury, adjacent to Newburyport and Amesbury, within walking distance of stores and public transportation.
A Three-Month Minimum With Room to Stay Longer
Residents commit to a minimum of three months at Maris Center, with room to extend for up to two years for those who need it. Daily group programming and 24-hour supervision run throughout that stay, giving the program a heavier structure than a typical independent sober house.
State-Funded Support and MassHealth Enrollment
Link House, Inc. helps residents enroll in MassHealth and secure housing after they leave the program, along with connecting them to medical and therapeutic services in the community. Partial funding through the state's Bureau of Substance Abuse Services underwrites that level of support.
Shared Responsibility for the House
Residents at Maris Center pay a portion of the program's fee and share responsibility for the upkeep of the house, an arrangement that ties the cost of the program to what a resident can actually contribute.
Link House, Inc.'s Presence in Salisbury and Essex County
Maris Center is one of four programs Link House, Inc. runs across Amesbury, Newburyport and Salisbury, and the only one located in Salisbury itself. The organization's other properties serve men or run on a more independent model, making Maris Center the largest and most heavily supervised address in the network.
Sober living homes are group residences for people who are recovering from addiction. In most instances, people who live in sober homes have to follow certain house rules and contribute to the home by doing chores. Most importantly, residents must stay sober throughout their stay in the home.
Maris Center for Women offers a safe, supportive residential program where women can focus on recovery and healing with a minimum commitment of 3 months for an extended period of up to two years. Maris Center residents contract to abstain from all drug and alcohol use and addictive behaviors, attend appropriate AA/NA meetings and participate fully in all additional aspects of therapy. Daily group programming and 24-hour supervision are provided. Residents are encouraged to fully integrate into the community through employment and community service and are required to pay a portion of their treatment fee/rent, provide their own meals and contribute to the upkeep of the Center. The Maris Center provides a safe place to begin the healing of mind, body and spirit. Residents receive 24-hour support through program staff and peers. Of the 40 placements at Maris Center, 12 are reserved for incarcerated women participating in the Women in Transition (W.I.T) pre-release program, run in partnership with the Essex County Sheriff's Department.
