Virginia Association Of Recovery Residence(varr)

What Virginia Association Of Recovery Residence(varr) does

Virginia Association of Recovery Residences (VARR) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2012 and headquartered in Virginia, operating as the Commonwealth's exclusive state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR). Its core product is an accreditation and state certification program for recovery residences, structured around NARR Standards 3.0 and the Social Model of Recovery across four residence levels (Level I Peer-run through Level IV Clinical). Supporting products include an interactive statewide directory of accredited operators, a formal incident reporting system, a six-step grievance process, and the REC-CAP (Recovery Capital Assessment and Planning) instrument — an evidence-based, nine-section assessment tool developed in partnership with Dr. David Best and the Recovery Outcomes Institute that measures personal, social, and community recovery capital on a longitudinal basis.

VARR generates revenue through a tiered fee structure: a $750 annual affiliate fee per organization plus a $10 per-bed accreditation fee, billed annually. Additional revenue comes from donations, fundraising, and state/foundation grants that support the Recovery Corps program, the Indigent Bed Program, and scholarships for residents with financial barriers. The primary customer segment is recovery residence operators across Virginia (nonprofits, peer-run entities, and faith-based providers) who must now achieve mandatory certification under SB838 and Virginia code § 37.2-431.1 effective July 1, 2025, with VARR serving as the DBHDS-recognized credentialing entity. As of 2022, VARR had certified over 1,000 beds across Virginia and operated with four full-time staff, all of whom identify as persons in recovery from substance use disorder.

Name

Virginia Association Of Recovery Residence(varr)

Legal name

Virginia Association of Recovery Residences

Website

https://varronline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Virginia Association of Recovery Residences (VARR) is a Virginia-based nonprofit that accredits and certifies recovery residences statewide as the Commonwealth's NARR affiliate, serving recovery housing operators across Virginia with a four-person team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Recovery Residence Accreditation and Certification

NAICS

Residential Intellectual and Developmental Disability, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Facilities (6232)

SIC

Services-Skilled Nursing Care Facilities (8051)

akta.pro primary industry

Transitional Care Units (TCU) (HLAFAFAF)

Keywords

• Recovery residence accreditation
• Recovery housing certification
• Substance use recovery services
• Peer recovery support
• Recovery capital assessment

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Accreditation Fees: VARR charges an Annual Affiliate Fee of $750 per organization per year plus an Accreditation Fee of $10 per accredited bed. Operators must pay these fees upon achieving accreditation and annually thereafter.
2. Donations and Fundraising: VARR accepts donations through its website. Funding has been secured to support individuals with financial barriers seeking recovery support services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VARR accredits and certifies recovery residences across the Commonwealth of Virginia as the state affiliate of the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR). It operates as the DBHDS-recognized credentialing entity, evaluating residences against NARR Standards 3.0 and Social Model principles, maintaining a statewide directory of accredited operators, and administering supporting services including incident reporting, grievance handling, and REC-CAP recovery capital assessments.

Product overview

VARR operates as a unified voice for recovery housing in Virginia, offering an accreditation and certification ecosystem for recovery residences. The core offering is the VARR Accreditation Program, which accredits recovery residences around NARR Standards 3.0 and Social Model of Recovery principles. Supporting products include the Statewide Directory for finding accredited residences, Incident Reporting System for reporting major incidents, Formal Grievance Process for ethics violations, REC-CAP Recovery Capital Assessment tool for measuring recovery outcomes, Application for Accreditation portal, and DBHDS State Certification pathway. The organization provides four levels of recovery residences (Level I Peer-run, Level II Monitored, Level III Supervised, Level IV Clinical) and serves as Virginia's state affiliate for NARR since 2012.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VARR Accreditation Program Accreditation program for recovery residences based on NARR Standards 3.0 and Social Model of Recovery principles. VARR serves as the credentialing entity for state certification through DBHDS, with four residence levels (I Peer-run through IV Clinical).
• Statewide Directory of Accredited Recovery Residences Interactive statewide directory containing information about VARR accredited recovery residence operators including contact information, locations, level types, and inspection dates, enabling individuals to find accredited recovery housing.
• Incident Reporting System

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,000 beds certified in Virginia
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022VARR serves as a credentialing entity for state certification through DBHDS. Partnership established to guide efforts for state certification of recovery homes in 2018. DBHDS established Conditional Certification process allowing time to achieve full accreditation through VARR.
• National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVARR established as Virginia's state affiliate for NARR in 2012. NARR developed the most widely referenced national standard for recovery residences and supports 30 state affiliate organizations. VARR accredits recovery residences in accordance with NARR Standards 3.0.
• AmpactflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2022, VARR, DBHDS, and Ampact launched the Recovery Corps program in Virginia, placing 35 individuals at different Recovery Community Organizations across the state. Individuals receive job experience, training to become Certified Peer Recovery Specialists, and educational grants.
• Recovery Outcomes InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dr. David Best and the Recovery Outcomes Institute for the REC-CAP evidence-based recovery planning and assessment tool. Ongoing research efforts around REC-CAP use in VARR recovery residences. Multiple published research papers utilizing VARR data.
• Dr. David BestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper of the REC-CAP (Recovery Capital Assessment and Planning) instrument. Collaborating with VARR since 2020 on pioneering the use of REC-CAP in Virginia recovery residences. Co-author on multiple published research papers.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CARF International: Independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services, including behavioral health and substance use treatment programs. Comparable as a competing credentialing body that recovery residences and related providers may use instead of or alongside NARR/VARR accreditation.
• Faces & Voices of Recovery: National nonprofit advocacy organization for the recovery community, coordinating Recovery Community Organizations across states. Comparable because it parallels VARR's role as a statewide unifying voice for recovery housing and recovery support services.
• National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR): The national umbrella organization that develops recovery residence standards and supports 30+ state affiliate organizations, including VARR. Directly comparable as the parent body governing the accreditation framework VARR operates within.
• The Joint Commission: Largest U.S. healthcare accreditor, offering behavioral health care accreditation that overlaps with the recovery housing and SUD treatment space. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the healthcare accreditation market VARR participates in.

Regional players

• Georgia Council on Substance Abuse: State-level recovery advocacy and recovery community organization in Georgia, with peer-run housing programs. Comparable as another state-level recovery housing/RCO analog, although operating in a different state geography.

Direct peers

• McShin Foundation: Virginia-based Recovery Community Organization operating 16 recovery residences and accredited through VARR. Comparable as both a customer of VARR and a direct peer recovery housing operator competing for residents and donors in Virginia.
• Oxford House: National network of democratically self-run recovery residences operating under their own charter rather than the NARR accreditation pathway. Comparable because Oxford House is a major recovery housing operator model that competes with NARR-accredited residences for residents and operators.
• Recovery Outcomes Institute: Organization founded by Dr. David Best that develops and supports the REC-CAP instrument VARR has deployed since 2020. Comparable because it is a close technology and research partner, and the REC-CAP tool is central to VARR's differentiated value proposition.
• CCAR — Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery: Recovery Community Organization that operates recovery housing and trains peer recovery specialists, similar to VARR's Recovery Corps program. Comparable as a state-level recovery housing and peer services peer.
• Council on Accreditation of Peer Recovery Support Services (CAPRSS): National accrediting body specifically for peer recovery support services organizations, referenced among VARR's member organization credentials. Comparable as a peer-level credentialing entity in the same recovery ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virginia-association-of-recovery-residences-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/varr_online

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Virginia Association Of Recovery Residence(varr)