Following is a set of House Rules condensed from the Our Hope Association Resident Handbook.  Please let us know if you have any questions or would like further clarification by calling or contacting our office on-line.

1. During the week (Monday-Friday) women will remain in their rooms with lights out from 11:00 PM until 6:00 AM, however, you may not come down to the main floor until 6:30 AM.  On Saturday and Sunday mornings, women will remain in their rooms with lights out from 12:00 AM until 6:30 AM.  If you choose to get up at 6:00 AM, please be considerate of those who are still sleeping.
2. During the week, women must be dressed and ready by 8:00 AM.  If a woman is ill, she must notify staff by 8:00 AM. 
3. On weekends and holidays, women must be available for meds by 8:00 AM (if applicable), but if not, must be dressed and ready by 9:00 AM unless there is something on the schedule for that day requiring availability prior to 9:00 AM (i.e. departure for 9:00 AM meeting at 8:45 AM).  If a woman is ill, she must notify staff by 8:00 AM. 
4. Room cleaning must be completed by 8:00 AM on weekdays or 9:00 AM on weekends and holidays. 
5. Beds must be made, floors, dressers, and other surfaces free of clothing and clutter, and bedroom trash emptied.  Nothing is to be hung on walls without staff permission. 
6. Medication times are at 8:00 AM, 1:15 PM, 5:30 PM, and 9:30 PM.  It is your responsibility to be on time for medication.  Failure to be on time for medications and/or non-med compliance could result in a consequence. 
7. Cigarettes and access to the safe are only available at medication times (8:00 AM, 1:15 PM, 5:30 PM, and 9:30 PM).  It is your responsibility to plan ahead if you will need access to these items.  Also, house laundry quarters are not available to make change for clients’ laundry.  It is your responsibility to plan ahead if you will need quarters to do your personal laundry.  
8. Breakfast is self-serve and needs to be completed and cleaned up by 8:30 AM (9AM on weekends).  There should be no dirty dishes or food items left lying around after 8:30 AM (9AM on weekends). 
9. The resident telephone is available from 8:00 AM until 10:30 PM.  Personal calls are limited to up to six calls per day/per client, which includes all incoming and out-going calls (business-type calls are not included in this limit). Calls are to be limited to 15 minutes each and residents are required to use the timer available and record all phone calls (incoming and outgoing) on their phone logs.  You may not make phone calls back-to-back if there is another resident waiting to use the phone.  Any deviation from these rules will result in loss of phone privileges.
10. Do not call the telephone “Information Number” to request phone numbers, as each call is billed to Our Hope at $1.25 per call.  If you need assistance getting a telephone number, please ask a staff member to help.  Also, please limit the number of phone calls you make, as our phone bills are very high. 
11. Sanitary napkins/tampons are not to be flushed down the toilets.  Paper bags are provided for their disposal. 
12. It is the client’s responsibility to be on time for all groups.  
13. There is no food or drink allowed in any group, including those that are not facilitated by a staff member (i.e., Life Story, Therapeutic Videos), and/or those that are facilitated by contract staff  (i.e., Art Therapy, Steff’s group, for example). 
14. When residents are out as a group, they are expected to remain together as a group.  Each resident is assigned a buddy(ies), and is responsible for having their buddy(ies) in sight at all times. 
15. When residents are in the kitchen preparing food, it is required by State health laws that they wear plastic gloves and a hair net at all times (provided by Our Hope).  Also, state health laws dictate that food may not be thawed at room temperature.  Food must be thawed in the refrigerator and/or microwave only. 
16. Any leftovers are to be stored in plastic storage containers.  Leftovers are to be labeled, dated, and disposed of after two days (without exception).  Use masking tape (provided by Our Hope) to label the contents of the container and the date of preparation. 
17. Personal food and/or beverages are not to be stored in any of the refrigerators or freezers without staff permission. 
18. After meals (including lunch), there will be no smoking until the table is cleared, tablecloths cleaned and put away, food labeled and put away, and the dishwasher loaded.  If necessary, you may pre-soak heavily stained pots and pans in hot water for easier cleaning, however these must be washed, dried and put away before going to bed for the evening.  These pots and pans would be the exception of being put away before you may smoke.   
19. Laundry is to be completed by curfew and may not be left in the laundry room overnight. 
20. There is to be no food, cigarettes (or other tobacco products), candles, incense, matches or lighters above the first floor or in the carriage house.  Water is allowed only if it is in a plastic, covered container.
21. Smoking is allowed only in the backyard stone circle area between the hours of 6:30 AM and 8:30 AM; 11:00 AM until 1:30 PM; and 4:00 PM until 11:00 PM.  After dark, you must have a smoking buddy with you.  Smoking privileges will be taken away if there is any deviation of this rule.  On days of in-house 12-step meetings there is to be no smoking between 12:00 to 1:00 PM on Tuesday’s, and 7:00 to 8:00 PM on Thursday’s if there is an in-house meeting. 
22. These smoking times also apply if you are at an off-site location (Take Charge, for example) unless you are attending a 12-step meeting that allows smoking in the meeting.
23. Television is available from 5:00 PM on Friday until 10:00 PM on Sundays and holidays. 
24. Any plug-in appliances such as hair dryers and curling irons are to be unplugged when not in use.
25. Residents are not to answer any doors or use the front door at any time, except in case of emergency. 
26. Women are not to eat or prepare snacks after 10:00 PM.  Women can prepare food for next day’s dinner (only) until 11:00 PM if needed, but must leave kitchen clean.  
27.  No food is to be prepared, cooked or microwaved other than the meal items already set out for that particular meal without staff permission (i.e. no individual meal preparation is allowed.)  Lunch and dinner meals are to be prepared for the entire community and are to be eaten at the dining room table as a community, unless prior staff approval is given.  If you are ill or not hungry, you are expected to be at the table at meal time, unless you have been excused by staff. 
28. Women must sign in and out when leaving the premises (include date, time, and destination).
29. No visitors are allowed above the first floor without staff permission.
30. Absolutely no caffeine is allowed on the premises or in the vehicles. 
31. No food, beverages, or smoking are allowed in the vans. 
32. Evening chores are to be completed and ready for inspection by 10:20 PM every day.   
33. Residents are responsible for cleaning up behind themselves everywhere in the house, including any dishes or cooking utensils used at breakfast or for snacks. 
34. Once dinner has started, residents must stay at the table until everyone is finished, unless you have staff permission. 
35. Residents are not to leave any 12-step meeting unless they absolutely have to, and at no time should a resident leave a meeting to talk to someone or for food and/or beverages.  There is to be no passing of notes and/or talking to anyone else during a meeting unless it your turn to share. 
36. Women must limit their shower time to 15 minutes.  All other related activities, such as hair drying, make-up, etc. need to be done in your own bedrooms.  Towels and washcloths, as well as any other personal items, are not to be left in any of the bathrooms (including the carriage house bathroom).  Items left behind could be removed and/or thrown away by staff if this problem persists.  Please be considerate and leave the bathroom clean for the next person to use. 
37. Above all, residents are to respect themselves, each other, and staff members, and to behave in a manner which shows respect to the entire community.  Also, please remember that when you are outside of the Residence, the reputation of Our Hope may be judged by the actions of our clients.  Please be aware of how your actions could be perceived, and take pride as a member of the Our Hope community.