FSRB programs provide short-term housing for individuals with an assessed need for residential SUD care. Programs that receive FSRB funding are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health and approved by the Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide basic needs and staff supervision for residents. New applications for FSRB ended June 2025 and FSRB payments from the Behavioral Health Fund will be phased out on July 1, 2027, in accordance with MN 254B.0503 Subd. 1(e). FSRB programs that choose to become Level 2 Certified Recovery Residences will have the opportunity to apply for the Housing Support Program to pay for room and board for eligible residents starting Jan. 1, 2027.  

Level 1 – Peer-run and managed by residents.

• Only nonpaid staff are allowed to live and work within the residence, and decisions are made solely by residents.  
• Staff or peers of a level-one certified recovery residence must not provide billable peer recovery support services to residents of the recovery residence.

Level 2 – Monitored and managed by someone other than residents.

• Each residence must have paid staff to model and teach recovery skills and behaviors. The facility must have:  
  • Written job descriptions for each staff member position, including position responsibilities and qualifications 
  • Written policies and procedures for ongoing performance development of staff 
  • Annual training on emergency procedures, resident bill of rights, grievance policies and procedures, and code of ethics 
  • Community or house meetings, peer supports, and involvement in self-help or off-site treatment services 
  • Identified recovery goals 
  • Documentation that residents are linked with community resources such as job search, education, family services, and health and housing programs 
  • Documentation of referrals made for additional services
  • Staff of a level-two certified recovery residence must not provide billable peer support services to residents of the recovery residence.

To align with National trends and best practices, Minnesota will adopt a commonplace term for recovery homes.  Effective Jan. 1, 2027, all sober homes that meet the definition outlined in MN 254B.01 Subd. 11 and meet the requirements of MN Statues, sections 254B.21 through 254B.216, will be known as recovery residences regardless of certification status.

DHS is developing a certification process, effective January 1, 2027, that aligns with national standards and serves as an initial step for recovery residences seeking eligibility for Housing Support Program funding. This certification is separate from and not affiliated with the Minnesota Association of Sober Homes (MASH). Each certification process operates independently and does not impact the other.

The Housing Support Program (formerly Group Residential Housing) helps pay for room and board in authorized locations for people with low income who have disabilities or other conditions or are 65 and older. The program aims to reduce and prevent people from living in institutions or becoming homeless. Learn more about the Housing Support Program and how to use it in recovery residences at the Certified Recovery Residence Housing Support Program page. 

Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) issues various licenses depending on the services offered within the facility. The applicable lodging license verifies that the facility has been inspected and passes health and safety standards outlined in Minnesota law. In some regions, MDH has delegated the authority to issue lodging licenses to a local health agency in a city or county.  To learn more about the lodging requirements in your jurisdiction, please find your delegated agency on MDH’s Licensing Jurisdiction webpage. 

NOTE: A Board and Lodging license is a requirement for Housing Support agreements.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services is a large organization divided into work areas that focus on different human services programs and funding. Two different teams are involved in the current transition: the Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) and the Homelessness, Housing, and Support Services Administration (HHSSA). The process to become a certified recovery residence is managed by BHA, and the process to access Housing Support is managed by HHSSA.

MN Ch. 254B.211-254B.216 outlines specific written policies and procedures that organizations must have to demonstrate quality standards and program integrity. As a part of the certification process, each residence will implement and uphold policies and procedures to meet these statutory requirements. All organizations, regardless of status, must review and revise their organization’s policies and procedures to meet these updated measures.

• MN Certified Recovery Residence Policy and Procedures Checklist

[Recovery Residence Policy and Procedures Reference Guides - Coming Soon]

NOTE: This is not an exhaustive list of the policies each individual residence may choose to implement. Any intended optional policies (camera policy, incident reporting policy, etc.) also need to be submitted with your complete application. Please email BHA staff at recovery_supports_bha.dhs@state.mn.us with any specific questions about your particular program and policies.

To uphold a uniform standard for program expectations, it is recommended that all organizations seeking certification by DHS use the checklist and reference guides provided to develop policies that are customized to each residence. If your residence already has policies in place, those documents should be titled as outlined in the reference guides above and contain the referenced language for each policy.

All applications should be submitted to recovery_supports_bha.dhs@state.mn.us with the subject titled: [RESIDENCE NAME] [RESIDENCE ADDRESS] [CERTIFICATION LEVEL APPLYING FOR (1 OR 2)] APPLICATION.  

Include ALL policy documents in a compressed zipped folder.

If you have more than one recovery residence location within your organization, a separate application should be submitted for each location. Please make sure that all policy documents are included in the initial application. If your application is missing a document, you will be asked to resubmit your complete application that includes all the required documents.

DHS will verify that the required components are included in your documentation. If a component is missing, or does not meet statutory requirements, DHS will make a recommendation for quality improvement.

Your documents will also be reviewed as a package for clarity and consistency. You are highly encouraged to respond to DHS requests for quality improvements with any questions or clarifications before resubmitting the updated documentation. Once you have satisfied all the quality improvement requests, all documents should be resubmitted together. You must address all recommendations for quality improvement within the timeframe provided by DHS for your application to remain current. All recommendations for quality improvement related to organizational policies must be addressed prior to scheduling the on-site review.

During the on-site review, DHS will walk through all parts of the property that residents have access to, including basements, garages and individual resident bedrooms. They will ask questions about each property such as where naloxone is stored and where emergency procedures are posted.

DHS certification specialists will also ask questions about your organization’s policies and procedures; and verify that the organization is implementing the practices as written in the documentation. If inconsistencies are noted between the policy and practice, DHS may request quality improvement activities so your policies match your practice.

After the application documents and on-site review have been completed and approved by DHS, you will be issued a Proof of Certification. This certification must be publicly displayed in the residence and cannot be transferred to another address. Certifications automatically terminate three years after issuance.