As part of the Minnesota Association of Sober Homes’ mission to protect the privacy of residents, the organization requires the following:

MASH prohibits the use of monitoring cameras inside a sober home. Surveillance is not conducive to building a community focused environment and is found to be against the core principle of the NARR Standards (2,F) to provide a home-like environment. The feeling of being watched may dissuade individuals from congregating in a common room and therefore reduce the efficacy of the Social Model of Recovery. Sober homes are not institutions and should not be surveilled as such. 

Cameras are encouraged to be used outside the perimeter of the home. These are not in violation of any standards and can be helpful.

These rules would go into effect when a resident’s belongings are left behind after a resident has exited or been discharged from the home.

Homes must promptly store any property or medications belonging to the resident in a secure location. When packing a resident’s belongings, a witness should be present. A witness may be either a second member of the home’s staff or another resident. Resident property should be handled with care and respect. For example, it is not permissible to store resident property in garbage bags. It is permissible to store resident belongings in cardboard boxes sealed with tape.

Homes must retain resident property for a minimum of 60 days following a resident’s exit according to Minnesota Statute 254B.181, subdivision 1.

The home must make a good faith effort to prevent any resident property or medications from being lost or stolen. However, the home should not retain any materials that are hazardous to the health and safety of other residents such as weapons or illicit drugs. Additionally, perishable food may be disposed of by the home.

After 60 days have passed, homes may remove resident belongings via donation to a nonprofit. If an item cannot be donated, it may be disposed of but not sold.

Homes must make an effort to contact the former resident and any listed emergency contacts in order to return any held items.

All individuals working in a MASH-accredited recovery residence are expected to uphold our Code of Ethics, which centers on respecting each resident and placing their recovery needs first. Every team member must sign the Code of Ethics prior to beginning work and organizations are required to keep signed copies on file for all staff, volunteers, and operators. This commitment reflects our shared responsibility to provide safe, ethical, and recovery-focused housing.

Click to View The MASH/NARR Code of Ethics

Certified recovery residences must provide each resident with a written Resident Bill of Rights as part of the intake process. A copy of this document must also be posted in a clearly visible, shared area within each certified residence.

This document outlines the core rights afforded to all residents and serves as a foundational commitment to respectful, ethical, and recovery-supportive care. Residents must review and sign the Resident Bill of Rights to acknowledge understanding and consent.

Click to View The Resident Bill of Rights

Prior to certification, the owner or authorized representative of the organization must sign the MASH Assurance Form. Submission of this form constitutes an attestation that the organization:

• Is in full compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws, including zoning, building, and fire codes;

• Has obtained all necessary inspections and registrations required for operation;

• Maintains appropriate liability insurance coverage; and

• Adheres to all relevant business, fiscal, and reporting requirements.

Falsely submitting this form or failing to meet these obligations will be considered a violation of the MASH/NARR Code of Ethics and may result in certification denial or revocation. The Assurance Form acknowledges that MASH’s certification review pertains solely to the organization’s recovery environment and does not replace legal or regulatory compliance responsibilities held by the operator. description

Click to View MASH Assurances

All certified organizations are required to sign the MASH Certification Agreement as a condition of certification. This agreement outlines the responsibilities of certified providers, affirms their commitment to maintaining compliance with the MASH Certification Standards aligned with NARR v3.0, and reinforces the organization’s duty to operate in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws.

By signing, organizations acknowledge their obligation to uphold ethical practices, participate in the certification and monitoring process, and maintain accurate and up-to-date information with MASH. Failure to adhere to the terms of this agreement may result in disciplinary action, including suspension or revocation of certification.

Click to View the MASH Certification Agreement

The Minnesota Association of Sober Homes (MASH) requires all certified residences and member organizations to report any major incidents using the official MASH Incident Report Form.

A major incident is defined as any event that creates a significant risk to the safety, health, or well-being of residents or staff—or that causes major disruption to home operations.

Examples include:

• Serious injury or death of a resident or staff member

• Major facility damage or any life-threatening event

• Allegations of abuse or incidents requiring mandatory reporting

• Illegal activity or gross misconduct by operator, staff, or affiliated representatives

• Emergencies that require intervention by external authorities (police, fire, EMS)

Certified organizations must submit the completed incident report and written summary within 72 hours of the incident. Reports should be sent to the MASH office for review.

MASH may forward incident reports to the Board of Directors or a special committee for further evaluation if necessary. All major incidents are documented and kept on file.

Failure to report a major incident may result in:

• A formal investigation by MASH and/or the Standards & Ethics Committee

• A request for explanation from the organization

• Board review and potential disciplinary action, including sanctions

Timely, transparent reporting helps maintain the safety, accountability, and integrity of Minnesota’s recovery housing network.