Purpose of the CARR Standards

CARR Board, Staff, and Associates recognize that recovery takes time and that residential support has many facets, ranging from residential treatment models to long-term recovery housing. CARR affirms the necessity of a continuum of care to adequately address the total needs of people recovering from addiction.

Proposed Additions to the CARR Standards

The following are standards that have been proposed to the Board of Directors for review. We encourage our stakeholders to review any items listed here as well and we welcome your feedback.

Limitations on the Use of Medical Cannabis in a Recovery Residence Setting

Code of Ethics

All persons working in NARR Affiliate organizations, (recovery residence owners, operators, staff and volunteers) are expected to adhere to the following Code of Ethics: It is the obligation of all recovery residence owners/operators and staff to value and respect each resident and to put each individual’s recovery and needs at the forefront of all decision making. To meet this obligation, we adhere to the following principles:

  1. Assess each potential resident’s needs, and determine whether the level of support available within the residence is appropriate. Provide assistance to the resident for referral in or outside of the residence.

  2. Value diversity and non-discrimination.

  3. Provide a safe, homelike environment that meets NARR Standards.

  4. Maintain an alcohol- and illicit-drug-free environment.

  5. Honor individuals’ rights to choose their recovery paths within the parameters defined by the residence organization.

  6. Protect the privacy and personal rights of each resident.

  7. Provide consistent and uniformly applied rules.

  8. Provide for the health, safety and welfare of each resident.

  9. Address each resident fairly in all situations.

  10. Encourage residents to sustain relationships with professionals, recovery support service providers and allies.

  11. Take appropriate action to stop intimidation, bullying, sexual harassment and/or otherwise threatening behavior of residents, staff and visitors within the residence.

  12. Take appropriate action to stop retribution, intimidation, or any negative consequences that could occur as the result of a grievance or complaint.

  13. Provide consistent, fair practices for drug testing that promote the residents’ recovery and the health and safety of the recovery environment and protect the privacy of resident information.

  14. Provide an environment in which each resident’s recovery needs are the primary factors in all decision making.

  15. Promote the residence with marketing or advertising that is supported by accurate, open and honest claims.

  16. Decline taking a primary role in the recovery plans of relatives, close friends, and/or business acquaintances.

  17. Sustain transparency in operational and financial decisions.

  18. Maintain clear personal and professional boundaries.

  19. Operate within the residence’s scope of service and within professional training and credentials.

  20. Maintain an environment that promotes the peace and safety of the surrounding neighborhood and the community at large.

Quality Standards

All housing sites affiliated with CARR have been inspected and found to provide a standard of living that meets CARR & NARR requirements. The housing inspection includes health, life skills programming, safety and management reviews that ensure each site lives up to the standards set forth by CARR.

CARR Associate Peer Review: This set of standards supersedes any and all previous standards required to be an CARR associate.

The quality review process begins when the application is received by CARR. No claims of operating in good standing with the quality standards can be made until the site visit is completed and approved by the CARR Advisory Board. 

Upon approval, associates are encouraged to display documentation that they are in good standing with the CARR quality standards, “Associate of CARR,” or some similar statement in all literature for the property. A link to the CARR website may be inserted in the facility website homepage.

(Note that CARR provides peer quality reviews for Levels I, II, and III. Level IVs are licensed by the State of Colorado as residential treatment providers.)