MASH Certification Guidebook

Gain a clear, step-by-step roadmap to meet today's certification standards and open your sober home with confidence.

Massachusetts Laws & Regulations

Learn exactly how to stay compliant with state housing laws so you can operate legally, safely, and sustainably.

Funding & Referrals

Discover proven strategies to secure funding and build referral partnerships that keep your home full and financially stable.

About the Course

Opening a sober house in Massachusetts is one of the most meaningful ways to support recovery in your community—but the process can feel complex and overwhelming. This course walks you step-by-step through state certification requirements, operational standards, and practical strategies used by successful operators. You’ll finish equipped to launch a compliant, sustainable sober living home that changes lives.

What This Course Delivers

Every Stage, Step-by-Step

Follow clear instructions, checklists, and templates to confidently handle every part of opening and operating a sober home—from certification and legal compliance to funding and referral partnerships.

Proven Operational Systems

Access ready-to-use tools, policies, and management systems built from years of real-world experience running successful, compliant recovery homes.

Real-World Insights

Learn what truly works in Massachusetts recovery housing through case studies, expert commentary, and tested strategies from professionals in the field.

Meet Your Instructor: Dr. Hunter T. Foote

Dr. Hunter T. Foote is a nationally recognized developer and advocate for structured recovery residences. Drawing on nearly a decade of work establishing and supporting recovery homes across the United States, Dr. Foote breaks down the principles that make recovery housing both effective and sustainable. Students will gain a clear understanding of how these homes operate, why they matter, and how they transform communities by providing safe, supportive environments for individuals in recovery. Whether you’re a housing professional, operator, or community partner, this course offers practical insight and inspiration from one of the field’s foremost practitioners.

Course Curriculum

10 Chapters · 40 Lessons

  1. 1

    🖋️ Foreword

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      🏡 What Recovery Housing Offers

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      👤 About the Creator of This Course

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      💜 About Vanderburgh Sober Living

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      📚 Prerequisite Courses (included at no cost)

  2. 2

    🌍 Recovery Ecosystems in Massachusetts

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Recovery Housing in Massachusetts

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Terminology Common in Massachusetts

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      The Continuum of Care in MA

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Mapping and Prioritizing Referral Sources

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Promoting Available Beds in Massachusetts

  3. 3

    💲 Funding for Residents & Operators

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Access Resident Rent Funding

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Funding for Operators (startup)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Real Estate Financing in Massachusetts

  4. 4

    ⚖️ Massachusetts Law and Sober Living

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Massachusetts State Law & Sober Living

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Fire & Building Code Requirements in Massachusetts

  5. 5

    ☑️ MASH Certification

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      The Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Benefits of MASH Certification

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Overview of MASH Standards

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      The MASH Certification Process

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Ongoing Compliance & Renewal

  6. 6

    📄 PART 1: ENTITY & LEGAL DOCUMENTS

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Required Documents: Sole Proprietors

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Required Documents: LLCs

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Required Documents: Corporations (including nonprofit)

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Required: If You Lease Your Home

  7. 7

    🛡️ PART 2: REQUIRED INSURANCE

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Insurance Policy Coverage Requirements

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Provide Proof of Insurance

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Insurance Binder Standards

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      ✔️ Insurance Checklist

  8. 8

    ⚙️ PART 3: OPERATIONAL DOCUMENTS

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Resident Agreement & Handbook

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      House Rules, Policies, and Procedures

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Required Posters in the Home

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Incident Reporting Procedures

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Software & Recordkeeping Standards

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      ✔️ Operations & Document Checklist

  9. 9

    🛠️ PART 4: BUILDING STANDARDS

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Fire Safety Requirements

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Minimum Room Sizes

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Fire Evacuation Plan

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      ✔️ Building Checklist

  10. 10

    🎉 Conclusion

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      📝 Final Exam & Certificate

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      💡 How Did We Do?

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      💭 A Final Word of Encouragement

Ready to Begin Your Journey?

Take the next step toward launching a certified, compliant, and thriving recovery home —enroll today and start building your impact.

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