Before beginning the certification process, please take time to read through the WVARR Certification Preparation Packet 3.0 in its entirety. Everything you need to know about applying for certification is outlined in this packet.

*Please note: The WVARR Certification Preparation Packet 3.0 and corresponding policies became effective April 1, 2026.*

For all applicants with an active application prior to April 1, 2026, the requirements are outlined in the previous WVARR Certification Preparation Packet 2.0.

Certification Eligibility:

The WVARR certification process is designed for all levels of recovery residences currently operating in West Virginia that meet the definition of recovery residences. According to West Virginia state law, ‘”Recovery residence” means a single-family, drug-free, and alcohol-free residential dwelling unit, or other form of group housing, that is offered or advertised by any person or entity as a residence that provides a drug-free and alcohol-free living environment for the purposes of promoting sustained, long-term recovery from substance use disorder.”

Some key elements of recovery residences may include, but are not limited to:

Illicit drug and alcohol-free living environment;
Incorporate peer support and/or recovery support services;
Follow the Social Model of Recovery;
Offered or advertised as promoting sustained long-term recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and primarily serves people with Substance Use Disorders (including Alcohol Use Disorder, Poly-Substance Use, Opioid Use Disorder, etc.)
Designated by WV OHFLAC as a recovery residence

The organization responsible for the operations of the residence is the entity that must apply for certification. All recovery residences operated by the applicant organization must be reported and included in the certification application, including any residences that aren’t yet open and any graduate or step-down housing that has a programmatic or sobriety requirement.

Applicant organizations should be open and operating for 60 days at 60% capacity prior to applying for certification. However, some new residences may be eligible for a New Residence Provisional Certification without meeting these capacity requirements, as outlined below.

New Residence Provisional Certification:

The operational requirement of 60% capacity for 60 days may be waived for new and newly developing recovery residences. Qualifying developing residences may acquire a New Residence Provisional Certification, which shall be considered equal by any relevant referring or funding entities as it pertains to requirements set forth in West Virginia state code.

WVARR may temporarily waive certain physical or capacity requirements that the residence cannot meet or complete in its current phase of development without access to additional funding or resident referrals. In order to qualify for a New Residence Provisional Certification, the applicant must demonstrate compliance with all other certification requirements outlined by the National Alliance of Recovery Residences, the West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences, and the State of West Virginia. Under no circumstances will any waivers be issued that would jeopardize resident health or safety.

If the residence is granted a New Residence Provisional Certification, the residence will require a follow-up inspection within 60 days of opening so that the remaining requirements can be assessed, to include resident interviews. In order to be granted a New Residence Provisional Certification, the operator must submit a formal waiver request to the assigned certification reviewer to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis and approved or denied by the WVARR director.

Criteria for Issuing Waivers:

Waivers are issued at WVARR’s discretion after taking into consideration all relevant factors, including that the applicant residence meets all standards other than those for which a waiver is requested. WVARR will adhere to the following guidelines in evaluating and acting on requests:

Applicants must be able to demonstrate and verify the residence meets the criteria for a “new residence.”
Waivers may only be granted to new recovery residences. Waivers will not be granted for any residences opened and operating prior to the date of application, unless the residence has not yet met the resident capacity requirements.
No waiver may be granted for conditions that jeopardize resident health and safety.
Applicants must certify full compliance with any applicable fire, health, or safety codes.
No waiver may be granted for elements of the standards other than those pertaining to physical environment or resident interviews without prior consultation with NARR.
If certain requirements pertaining to the physical environment are waived by WVARR for the purposes of allowing the residence access to start-up funding and referrals, the residence must submit to a physical inspection by WVARR prior to admitting residents.
The applicant must propose a remediation plan that will address any and all deficiencies and a future date by which they expect to come into full compliance.

Waiver process:

Applicants must make a formal written request for a waiver, which will include:

Reason for the request
NARR/WVARR standard(s)or requirement(s) for which a waiver is requested
Exact nature of the waiver (e.g. acquire startup funding to purchase/renovate a building)
Remediation plan and period of time during which the waiver will be in effect

WVARR will maintain the application and records related to the waiver assessment process in the applicant’s file. The assessment process may include interviews with individuals familiar with the applicant’s business history.

WVARR Certification Process

The certification process includes key steps that guide progress toward full compliance. These steps must be completed in the order they appear below:

Step 1: Read and Use This Packet

This Certification Preparation Packet was thoughtfully developed to serve as a comprehensive guide for the certification process. It includes essential tools, templates, and resources necessary to understand requirements, align with best practices, and confidently navigate each step toward certification. Fully reviewing each component of the packet will help applicants with preparation, organization, and alignment with standards and expedite the time it takes to complete the certification process. This packet is more than a checklist—it is a roadmap to quality and accountability. It should be used as a central reference throughout the certification preparation process.

Step 2: Create a Certemy Account

Certemy is the online platform that WVARR uses to manage certification applications. All certification applicants must create a Certemy account. Learn more about Certemy here. WVARR Certification Reviewers are available to provide guidance and clarification regarding account set-up.

Step 3: Pre-Application and Pre-Application Call

This step is intended to gather essential information critical to the certification process. Please carefully review the Pre-Application subsection of the Documentation and Credential Review section, located on page 19 of this packet.

Key documents—such as OHFLAC Certificate of Registration, WVARR Certification and Compliance Agreement, Verification of Compliance (pg 21), and Assurances (pg 21)—are legal documents. It is imperative that the language and terms contained within these documents are fully understood and verified prior to submission.

WVARR’s certification process is grounded in the NARR Standards 3.0 and the NARR Code of Ethics. Familiarity with these foundational documents, along with this packet, will help applicants understand potential requests for revisions and ensure compliance.

All documents in this step must be signed by an individual authorized to enter into formal agreements on behalf of the applicant organization. The information provided will directly inform the Pre-Application Call.

The WVARR Certification and Compliance Agreement specifically outlines the requirements set forth in the NARR Standards and Ethical Principles. It also includes provisions related to grievance procedures, incident reporting, and data sharing. By signing this agreement, the applicant attests that it has read, understood, and is currently operating in compliance with these requirements at the time of application.

Failure to disclose all recovery residences operated by the applicant organization will result in denial or revocation of certification.

Once all required information has been submitted in Certemy, WVARR staff will review the submission and contact the applicant organization, typically within five (5) business days, to schedule a virtual meeting with key staff and representatives of the applicant organization.

This call gives the applicant the opportunity to meet the certification review team, help the certification review team gain a better understanding of the applicant organization, and address any questions the applicant has about the certification process.

Prior to the meeting, please ensure that all documents outlined in the Pre-Application step have been thoroughly reviewed and that complete, accurate information has been provided.

Please note, Pre-Applications that remain incomplete and/or inactive for 6 months or more will be removed and required to re-start. This will ensure all documentation provided is relevant and up-to-date at the time of the review.

Step 4: Payment of Annual Affiliate & Certification Fees

New applicants will be invoiced after the completion of the Pre-Application call to ensure organizations don’t incur unnecessary fees.

Renewal Applicants may be invoiced when they begin the Pre-Application step.

The assigned WVARR certification reviewer will issue an invoice based on the total reported bed capacity across all recovery residences operated by the applicant organization. All fees are non-refundable and must be paid prior to WVARR staff providing access to the Documentation Review step in Certemy.

Additional fees may be incurred if the bed count at the time of inspection is more than what was submitted in the Pre-Application. If WVARR staff must re-inspect, an additional re-inspection fee of $50 per residence will be incurred.

WVARR Annual Affiliate Fee: A flat-rate $500 annual fee is required per organization, regardless of the number of residences. This fee is paid once annually per organization.

WVARR Annual Certification Fee: This fee is based on the total number of beds managed by the organization. Refer to the Bed Count Fee Table below for specific pricing.

Additional fees will apply for organizations operating in multiple counties or when re-inspections are required to verify necessary changes.

Bed Count Fee

1-12 beds $300.00

13-20 beds $400.00

21-30 beds $500.00

31-40 beds $600.00

41-50 beds $700.00

51-60 beds $800.00

61-70 beds $900.00

71+ beds $1025.00

Multiple County Operation Fee: A supplemental inspection fee of $50 will be assessed for each additional county in which the organization operates beyond the first. This fee accounts for the additional time, travel, and lodging required to inspect residences across multiple counties.

Example: If the organization has 5 residences in a single county with 45 beds total ($700), the total fee would be $1,200. If the organization has 5 residences in two counties with 45 beds total ($700), the total certification fee would be $1,250.

Payments may be made by check or money order. Make checks payable to:

West Virginia Alliance of Recovery Residences,

1116 Smith St. Charleston, WV 25301

Applicants may also pay electronically upon request via Quick Books invoice, but will be responsible for any associated fee incurred. Click here to see current Quick Books fee rates.

Step 5: Documentation & Policy Review

Preparation for this phase of the certification process will likely be the most time-intensive, but adequate preparation prior to application will expedite completion. WVARR staff is available to support applicants in becoming certification-ready prior to beginning this step; however, applicants should be fully compliant with these requirements at the time of application.

The Documentation and Policy Review (p.19) outlines all requirements for each policy and should be used as a checklist. Please use this document as a policy writing guide. It will be the most efficient way to create a new policy or modify an existing policy to meet requirements.

After WVARR staff confirms fee payment, applicant organizations will be granted access to the Documentation & Policy Review step in the Certemy platform, which will serve as the formal application. Each recovery residence operated by the organization will be assigned a separate credential that must be completed for review, including any residences that aren’t yet open and any graduate or step-down housing that has a programmatic or sobriety requirement.

If the applicant is submitting a renewal application for a two-year certification, a separate credential will be assigned. See page 16 for more information.

Format: All policy documents must be uploaded as Microsoft Word documents. PDFs will not be accepted. Submissions of more than one policy in each upload field (ie: a handbook or policy manual), will not be reviewed and will be rejected.

Please note that submitted documents will not be reviewed until all requested documents are uploaded into their unique fields, as the platform will notify the reviewer once this section is complete. When all policies have been submitted in full, please contact the assigned reviewer to ensure everything has been submitted as required.

The application will include information about both the applicant organization and each residence the organization operates. Information required about the applicant organization includes primary service areas, staffing and board structure, marketing materials, insurance coverage, and relationships with behavioral health agencies and toxicology labs. Information required about each residence includes policies, procedures and details about the recovery environment. If the organization operates more than one residence, policies submitted must be residence-specific; policies should be relevant, appropriate, and specific to the target population(s) served by each residence and relevant to the NARR Level of Support provided.

One of the indicators of good policy is language. WVARR recognizes that language and terminology related to Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is ever evolving; however, policy language should be up-to-date, supportive, and stigma-free. See Language Matters on page 44 for more information.

Once the completed application is submitted, the WVARR certification team will review all submissions and issue a Policy Review Report. This report will include any questions, requests for clarification, or required documentation and/or policy corrections. It will clearly outline all items that do not meet requirements, along with specific guidance on what needs to be revised or (re)submitted. If the initial Policy Review Report has not been received within 30 days, please contact the Certification Reviewer.

If the certification team has to issue multiple Policy Review Reports, the applicant’s certification timeline will be significantly delayed. The best way to prevent delays is to use the Documentation and Policy Review section of this packet as a policy checklist to ensure adequate preparation before submitting the application.

This step is considered complete only after all required policy changes and supporting documentation have been uploaded into Certemy by the applicant and approved by the Certification Reviewer.

New applicants will have up to 6 months to complete the Documentation and Policy Review step, to include any and all Policy Review Reports and approval of required corrections. New applicants that do not complete this step within 6 months will be required to re-start with the Pre-Application. This is to prevent applications from remaining active for multiple years, as the Certification process is designed to review and assess active and current implementation of certification requirements.

Please note, all renewal applications must be completed in their entirety prior to the expiration date regardless of when a Policy Review Report is issued.

Any good policy evolves and changes as an organization’s needs change. If any revisions or updates are made to previously submitted and approved policies, the updated version(s) must be submitted to the assigned Certification Reviewer within 30 days of implementation.

Please note all documents submitted (approved and rejected) will be stored in the Digital Wallet in the applicant’s Certemy portal which can be accessed at any time. Once policies are approved, applicants should save them in a digital file within the organization to be made easily accessible to residents and staff, and to be used in the applicant’s certification renewal process. This will streamline the renewal process in subsequent years.

For technical support when submitting an application (issues with the website), email support@certemy.com. For questions regarding the policy content or the application itself, please contact the assigned Certification Reviewer.

Step 6: On-site Review

An On-site Review will be scheduled for each residence operated by the applicant organization. To assist with preparation, please utilize the On-Site Review Preparation Checklist (pg 48). Prior to application, all applicants should walk through each residence using these tools as a checklist to ensure full compliance with certification requirements.

Failure to ensure each residence complies with the requirements prior to the On-site Review may result in significant delays, lengthy remediation plans, and additional fees (re-inspection fee).

The On-Site Review, comprising both the physical inspection and corresponding interviews, will be conducted by WVARR’s certification review team. There will be a minimum of two WVARR representatives onsite. All available residents, house managers and/or staff that work closely with the residents, and at least one of the organization’s leadership staff, should be present, as both staff and resident interviews will be conducted.

During the On-Site Review, be prepared to:

Have key staff present and available for organization interviews.
Allow space and privacy for resident interviews.
Show that the required documents and forms are posted in an easily accessible common area of the residence.
Show reviewers where documents are kept in each of the residences.
Show the reviewers the entire property, including all common areas of the residence, attics, basements, and each resident room. Please ensure all areas are accessible; WVARR staff is required to look in all spaces of the residence, even those not in use.
Demonstrate that written policies and procedures are being implemented in practice;
Demonstrate that the residence is clean, safe, and home-like.
Demonstrate that chores are being completed and maintenance requests are addressed.
Ensure all bedrooms meet space requirements (70 square feet for the first person and 50 square feet for each additional person).
Demonstrate that the residence has required safety equipment (including working smoke detectors in each sleeping room, carbon monoxide detectors in homes with gas appliances, and fire extinguishers with up-to-date inspection tags).
Show that there is adequate food storage space for residents, including one full-sized refrigerator per five residents (5:1).
Show that there is one full bathroom (at least one sink, one shower, and one toilet) for every six residents (6:1).
Demonstrate that residents have adequate storage space for personal belongings.
Demonstrate how the physical environment of the residence contributes to a family-like environment in the home and facilitates the Social Model of Recovery.

The On-Site Review will begin with staff interviews. During the staff interview, designated representatives should be prepared to:

Describe the organization or residence’s program application, orientation process, and how residents are screened to ensure they’re the right fit for the services provided and NARR Level of Care.
Provide copies of any documents that are shared with residents, including an intake packet with updated and accurate policies and procedures.
Answer questions about programmatic requirements, the services provided, and how residents are connected to outside recovery and community resources.
Answer questions about how policies are being implemented in practice
Show that the required documents and forms are posted in an easily accessible common area of the residence.
Explain how resident payments are recorded and explain how residents may access a statement of account or get a receipt of their payments.
Demonstrate how the physical environment of the residence contributes to a family-like environment in the home and facilitates the Social Model of Recovery.

Changes or modifications to policies based on information gathered during the On-Site Review may be required, especially if there are discrepancies between submitted policy and demonstrated practice.

Following the staff interviews, the WVARR team will split up to conduct: (1) the physical inspection of the residence, and (2) resident interviews/ evaluation of the recovery environment.

While WVARR reviewers are not licensed fire, building, or sanitation code inspectors, each residence is expected to be in full compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and codes, as affirmed in the WVARR Assurances document.

WVARR Certification Reviewers will conduct a thorough evaluation of each residence, examining both the physical property and the program’s recovery environment to ensure compliance with the NARR Quality Standards 3.0.

Certification Reviewers will ensure that all relevant and required topic areas are addressed during staff and resident interviews and will verify that all documentation, including policies and procedures, accurately reflects the current operations of each residence. This comprehensive assessment helps ensure that each organization is maintaining a consistent, quality-driven recovery environment that aligns with certification requirements.

Please be advised that WVARR staff will not provide feedback or status updates during the On-Site Review. All findings, including any items that require correction or follow-up, will be outlined in the next step of the process.

Step 7: Quality Improvement Plan

Following the onsite review, WVARR will issue a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP). Every applicant will receive a QIP. If a QIP has not been received within 15 days of the On-Site Review, please contact the designated Certification Reviewer.

The QIP addresses all four Domains of the NARR Standards, NARR Ethical Principles, WVARR requirements, and feedback from staff and resident interviews. It outlines any required changes or quality improvements needed for the applicant to achieve full compliance with NARR and WVARR certification requirements.

First-time applicants, any applicant organization that has been revoked and is applying for reinstatement, and any applicant organization that has been denied and is submitting a new application must submit a QIP response to the designated certification reviewer within 30 days of receipt. If the QIP response is not submitted within the required timeframe, WVARR will make a certification determination based on the information available.

There is no time limit for QIP responses for renewal applications; however, all processes, including an approved QIP response, must be completed by the certification expiration date.

Acceptable responses to Quality Improvement Plans include:

Completion of the required quality improvement activities, accompanied by appropriate documentation demonstrating that the improvements have been implemented.
Completion of all quality improvement activities that are achievable within the organization’s current capacity, along with a detailed timeline and plan outlining how any remaining requirements will be addressed.; or,
Submission of a written response with corresponding documentation detailing how the organization currently meets the national quality standards without engaging in the specific quality improvement activity.

As with the recovery process, applicant organizations are expected to approach certification with honesty, open-mindedness, and a willingness to improve. These core principles should guide all responses to the Quality Improvement Plan.

The QIP outlines all outstanding requirements necessary for alignment with NARR Standards. For questions or clarification, Certification Reviewers are available to provide support as needed. If an activity listed in the QIP is already in practice, appropriate documentation must be submitted to verify compliance. Responses that do not include the necessary documentation will not be accepted.

There may be quality improvement items that can not be completed in the 30 day time frame. For these items to be considered addressed, please submit an action plan for each item and include a time frame for completion. If outstanding issues are considered minor and do not include issues that present health and safety concerns, a Provisional Certification may be recommended by the certification team.

In some cases, a follow-up Onsite Review may be required to verify that quality improvement recommendations have been implemented. Any time an organization is required to remove beds from a residence, address health or safety issues, or replace/fix smoke detectors, a second on-site review will be required. If a second review is required, a supplemental inspection fee will be incurred. See page 8 for additional fee schedule.

Step 8: Certification Determination

Once a formal response to the Quality Improvement Plan has been submitted, WVARR staff will evaluate the submitted response within 5 days to determine if all requirements are met, except in special or unique circumstances which may result in a longer wait for determination. If WVARR receives grievances about the applicant organization before a certification determination is made, the grievance investigation may slow down WVARR’s ability to make a certification determination.

Certification determination outcomes include:

Recommended for a one-year certification or recertification.
Recommended for a two-year recertification (see p.16).
Provisionally certified under the New Recovery Residence Operator Policy.
Provisionally certified, with periodic check-ins.
Placed on a certification determination hold.
Recommended for denial with eligibility to reapply in a timeframe determined on a case-by-case basis. This time frame will be decided upon and disclosed in the denial correspondence. If a denial is issued and the organization intends to reapply, it is expected that remedial action be taken during the denial period before re-application.

If certification is awarded, a Certificate of Compliance will be issued for each WVARR-certified residence that the organization operates. Each Certificate of Compliance must be publicly displayed in the corresponding residence to which it applies.

As required by West Virginia Code 69-15, each Certificate of Compliance must include:

The name of the residence
The business/ Organization name
The number of beds certified in that residence
The specific gender/ population served
The specific residence address
The type of certification (initial, renewal, reinstatement)
The NARR Level of Care
The duration of certification for that residence
The date of issue and expiration date of the certification; and
The certificate number

Certification Renewal

It is strongly recommended that applicants begin the certification renewal process no less than three (3) months prior to the certification expiration date to allow sufficient time to complete all required steps. Failure to complete the renewal process before the expiration date will result in a lapse of certification.

Certification Extensions

Each organization may be granted a one-time 30-day certification extension for emergency situations only. An Extension Request Form must be submitted to the assigned Certification Reviewer no less than 30 days prior to the organization’s certification expiration date. The Certification Reviewer will send the request to the Executive Director to approve or deny at their discretion. Under no circumstances will an extension be granted for any organizations starting the renewal process less than 30 days prior to expiring.

Please note: Certification Reviewers will not “expedite” the process for organizations starting their renewal process late; all steps must be fully completed in the order they appear.

Certification Expiration

If an organization’s certification expires, its listing(s) will be removed from the Certified Residence Directory on the WVARR website and moved to the Certification Denial, Revocation, and Expiration list. WVARR will be required to list the organization’s status as “expired” in any reporting to state agencies. Expired organizations will not be eligible to receive state funds or referrals from state-funded agencies.

If an expired organization has an active certification renewal application at the time of expiration, it will have 90 days to complete all certification requirements within the existing application. If an organization’s certification has remained expired for more than 90 days, it will be required to restart the process and pay all associated fees required of a new application.

Two-Year Certification Eligibility:

Organizations that have achieved full certification without provisions or extensions (other than those that were not requested by the applicant) and have maintained a record free from significant issues or formal grievances for two consecutive years may be considered eligible for a two-year certification.

Eligibility for the two-year certification is based on a demonstrated track record of consistent compliance and operational excellence. If all requirements outlined above are met, the certification team may recommend the organization for a two-year certification at their discretion. No formal request is necessary; this recommendation is based solely on ongoing performance and compliance history.

Please note that if an organization is recommended for a two-year certification, pre-application, fee payment, and onsite review will still be required annually to ensure continued adherence to WVARR Certification Requirements. The Documentation & Credential Review will take place every two years, aligned with the extended certification term.

Following approval of a two-year certification, the renewal credential, which does not require a documentation review but does require an annual onsite review, must be completed on the same renewal schedule as a one-year certification credential.

This policy is designed to recognize consistently high-performing organizations while maintaining accountability and oversight.

Changes to Certified Organization or Residence

If any revisions or updates are made to previously submitted and approved policies, the updated versions must be submitted to the assigned certification reviewer within 30 days of implementation. Additionally, please notify the certification review team of any changes to applicant point of contact information, population served, bed count, or level of support as soon as possible to ensure continued compliance with certification requirements and accurate display of information about the organization on the WVARR website.

Application Withdrawal

A certification application may be withdrawn anytime prior to the onsite inspection. To withdraw an application, the Certification Application Withdrawal Form must be completed and submitted to the designated certification reviewer. A certification application may not be withdrawn after the On-Site Review.

Application Inactivity

Certification Pre-Applications or Applications that remain inactive for six months or longer will be considered withdrawn and deleted from Certemy. Any applicants with withdrawn applications that wish to re-apply will be required to restart the process with a new credential, including paying any relevant fees.

If a certification application remains inactive for 6 months or longer after the On-Site Review has been completed, a certification determination will be made based on available information.

Suspension and Revocations

If a WVARR-certified organization fails to remain compliant with the NARR Standards and Ethical Principles, a certification suspension or revocation may be issued. The length of the suspension or revocation will be determined on a case-by-case basis, depending on the severity of the infraction(s). In the event of a suspension or revocation, the organization will receive a formal report detailing the findings, identified deficiencies, and the relevant NARR Standards 3.0, NARR Code of Ethics, and applicable West Virginia State guidelines.

An organization whose certification has been suspended may have the opportunity for reinstatement if corrective action can be taken to address issues identified. A certification reinstatement fee of $250 will be applied.

Any organization whose certification has been revoked will be eligible to reapply after the timeframe specified in the Revocation Summary Report. If the organization intends to reapply, it is expected that appropriate remedial actions be taken during the revocation period before reapplying.

Appeals

If an organization believes a suspension, revocation, or denial is unwarranted, the organization may submit an appeal to the WVARR Standards and Ethics Committee within 30 days of receipt of notice. The response must include a complete response to all issues identified in the corresponding report received with the suspension, revocation, or denial notice.

Appeals to the WVARR Standards and Ethics Committee must be sent by mail and postmarked within 30 days of receipt of notice. Appeals can be sent to:

WVARR Standards and Ethics Committee

1116 Smith St.

Charleston, WV 25301

For suspensions or revocations, organizations may also utilize the appeal process outlined in the Recovery Residence Certification and Accreditation Program Administrative Rule.

Residence Closure Notice

If a WVARR-certified organization decides to close a certified residence for any reason, the organization must submit a Residence Closure Form to the designated Certification Reviewer at least 30 days prior to the closure to mitigate any harm to existing residents. Failure to appropriately notify WVARR of closures may result in a certification suspension or revocation.