Panel urges Suffolk be allowed to regulate 'sober homes'

A Suffolk legislative commission Thursday called on the state to use its office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse to regulate hundreds of now unchecked "sober homes," which critics say do little to aid recovery.

The Welfare to Work commission also recommended that the county make sober homes county contract agencies. That would give the county more control and allow the county to pay higher rates to well-run sober homes. It also called for state legislation that would allow county social services officials to withhold rental payments to sober home boardinghouses that violate health and safety standards.

The yearlong study comes after a 2003 county law to regulate sober homes, residences for recovering addicts, was struck down in federal court earlier this year and an earlier effort to pass state legislation was vetoed by former Gov. George Pataki just before he left office.

"This report has certainly helped to move the ball forward," said Assemb. Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor). He added that Assemb. Amy Paulin of Westchester in the past week had a 90-minute conference call with a half dozen state and Suffolk lawmakers to draft new legislation that would make Suffolk a pilot county for dealing with the sober home problem.

The commission's report did not give the number of sober homes, though some officials said there could be about 600 countywide housing as few as three people to as many as 25 people each. But because they are unregulated, the report said there are many "rogue sober homes" which "are operated by unscrupulous landlords who have no interest" in limiting drinking or drug use.

The report said that while the state provides treatment for those with drug an alcohol problems, it has no rules and no oversight of sober homes because no treatment is given in those residences. "The state says that those people are not in treatment," said Richard Koubek, commission chairman. "But that statement is simply baldly incorrect."

However, Jennifer Farrell, spokesman for the state Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services, said problems with sober homes is "an issue best addressed by the local government." She said the agency is developing guidelines due in a few months, on how sober homes should operate in a way that aids recovery.