What is a "Promise to Pay" Sober Living?
A "Promise to Pay" in sober living refers to an arrangement where an individual is allowed to move into a sober living home without upfront payment, under the condition that they will pay once they find employment and receive income. While this may seem like a compassionate solution, it raises critical concerns about what treatment centers are doing to set their clients up for success.
Where is the Aftercare Plan?
One of the most concerning aspects of "Promise to Pay" agreements is what they expose about the lack of aftercare planning in treatment centers. Many facilities discharge clients after 30 to 90 days with no plan for employment, housing, or financial stability.
Why is it the norm for treatment centers to call sober living homes just days before—or even on the day of—dischargein a desperate search for housing? If these facilities claim to prepare individuals for a life in recovery, why are so many of their clients left without basic resources like a job or a place to live?
Many treatment centers focus on ensuring their clients attend their Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) upon discharge. To achieve this, they prioritize working with sober living homes that guarantee clients will attend their affiliated IOPs. In such cases, the treatment center may even cover the cost of housing as long as the client remains enrolled in their program. However, if a client’s insurance has expired, if they choose not to attend IOP, or if they prefer a sober living home outside the treatment center’s network, the facility often shifts responsibility and initiates the "Promise to Pay" request.
The reality is, if a client leaves treatment with no financial plan, someone failed them. It shouldn’t be up to the individual to scramble for last-minute solutions when they just spent months in a structured recovery environment.
Did the Treatment Center Do a "Promise to Pay"?
Here’s something to think about: Did the treatment center provide their client with a "Promise to Pay" while they were in their care? Did they allow them to receive treatment without verifying financial ability? Or was payment required before admission?
Most treatment centers won’t accept a client without payment upfront, yet they expect sober living homes to take that risk. Why is it that when treatment is needed, the financial burden falls on the individual or their family, but when sober living is needed, it suddenly becomes someone else’s responsibility?
The Money is There—Just Not for Housing
If treatment centers truly believed in the importance of structured aftercare, they would allocate resources to ensure that clients have a place to live post-treatment. But instead, many facilities pour money into marketing, branding, and outreach while leaving discharged clients to fend for themselves.
Where Does the Money Go?
Marketing & SEO: Addiction treatment centers spend between 5% and 15% of their annual budgets on marketing, equating to $50,000 to $150,000 per year in digital advertising, SEO campaigns, and lead generation (source).
Luxury Networking & Conventions: Staff are sent out of state for conventions, conferences, and luxury business retreats.
Expensive Luncheons: Treatment providers regularly host catered events and networking lunches to attract new referrals.
If there is budget for high-end networking and lead generation, why isn’t there a budget to help clients transition successfully into sober living?
The Problem with "Promise to Pay" Agreements
At the core, "Promise to Pay" has no real meaning. What is the promise? Who enforces it? How many of these promises actually get fulfilled? The term is simply a way for treatment centers to shift responsibility onto the individual and the sober living home.
Sober living homes are typically privately funded, meaning they operate without government or insurance support. One resident on a "Promise to Pay" can significantly impact most housing providers, as they don’t have the budgets that treatment centers do. Unlike rehabs, sober living homes rely on residents paying their fair share to keep the house running, making unpaid stays a serious financial burden.
If a treatment center truly wants to set their client up for success, they should:
✅ Secure housing BEFORE discharge, not scramble last-minute.
✅ Help clients establish employment opportunities DURING treatment.
✅ Provide financial assistance or scholarships for sober living, just as they do for marketing and branding.
The Bottom Line
Sober living homes are a crucial part of long-term recovery, but they should not be the fall-back plan for treatment centers that fail to provide proper aftercare. If a treatment center is calling sober living homes days before discharge, they failed their client.
A "Promise to Pay" is just that—a promise. And in addiction recovery, promises without action mean nothing.
Gambit Recovery will always do its best to help anyone needing and wanting a better life. This isn’t a blog written out of resentment or scorn—this is a call to action. Treatment centers must do better. The individuals seeking help are the ones most affected, and they deserve a system that sets them up for success, not struggle. This is about educating the public and demanding accountability from treatment centers that claim to care.
If you or a loved one is serious about lasting recovery, reach out to us, Gambit Recovery has sober living homes that promote accountability, structure, and self-sufficiency—not empty promises.
