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FORA relays OHI guidance: use 're-entry' instead of 'couching' to avoid legal confusion
Summary
At the Sept. 14 state meeting FORA relayed that Oxford House, Inc. recommends using the term 're-entry' for temporary stays rather than 'couching', to avoid confusion with licensed halfway houses; FORA clarified houses retain democratic autonomy and should treat re-entry as a chartered bed.
FORA told the Kansas State Oxford Houses on Sept. 14 that Oxford House, Inc. (OHI) recommends replacing the term "couching" with "re-entry" when referring to temporary stays. The organization said the term "couching" can create confusion with halfway houses, which are subject to state licensing, and recommended the language change to reduce legal misunderstandings.
FORA clarified that re-entry should generally be treated as a chartered bed following the same guidelines as regular members. However, the report emphasized that houses operate democratically and are not required to adopt the guidance if they choose otherwise. FORA also acknowledged extenuating circumstances—such as short-term crisis placements—where houses may provide temporary shelter in line with house policies. The FORA announcement also included an event notice for a statewide 5K walk/run on Sept. 22 for Recovery Month; both the language guidance and the event details were accepted by the meeting.
