|
|
|
|
How A.A.s Carry the Message to Alcoholics in Treatment Facilities
|
In trying to help the alcoholic who is in a treatment facility, A.A.s
work together, insofar as possible, by using suggestions from those
who have already had experience carrying the message into treatment
facilities.
These Guidelines provide a summary of shared experience of A.A.s
who have carried the message into treatment facilities. A Treatment
Facilities Workbook, available from the General Service Office, contains
detailed information about carrying the message into treatment
facilities, including ways to approach treatment center personnel,
presentations and workshops, temporary contact programs, and
other helpful information. The workbook is sent to committee chairpersons
at no charge and is listed in the literature catalog.
PURPOSE
Treatment facilities committees are formed to coordinate the work
of individual A.A. members and groups who are interested in carrying
our message of recovery to alcoholics in treatment facilities,
and to set up means of “bridging the gap” from the facility to an A.A.
group in the individual’s community.
A treatment facilities committee may function within the structure of
a general service committee on the area or district level or it may
serve within the structure of a central office/intergroup. Prior to
forming these committees, this Twelfth Step work is sometimes
handled by an individual group or member. As A.A. groups grow in
number in a community, experience suggests that a committee
works more effectively.
In some parts of the country, A.A.s interested in carrying the message
into treatment and correctional facilities work together on
Hospitals and Institutions committees independent of, but in cooperation
with, general service and intergroup committees. This structure
also works well—especially in areas where lines of communication
between the various service entities remain open.
HISTORY
Since A.A.’s co-founders first stayed sober by carrying the A.A.
message into hospitals, many other alcoholics have discovered the
great value to their own sobriety of working with suffering alcoholics
in treatment facilities.
In 1934, Bill W. kept trying to help drunks in Towns Hospital in New
York City. None of them seemed interested at that time, but Bill
stayed sober. Dr. Bob worked with thousands of alcoholics at St.
Thomas Hospital in Akron, Ohio. In 1939, Rockland State Hospital,
a New York mental institution, was the site of one of our first A.A.
hospital groups.
Today many A.A. meetings take place in treatment facilities all over
the world. Twelfth Stepping and sponsoring other alcoholics —
where they are—has long been one of the most important and
satisfying ways of keeping ourselves sober.
Services to treatment facilities used to be combined with corrections
facilities under the title Institutions Committee. In 1977 the General
Service Conference voted to dissolve its Institutions Committee and
form two new committees, one on correctional facilities and one on<
treatment facilities. For more information on A.A.’s work in hospitals
and treatment centers, see the book A.A. Comes of Age.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Since hospitals and treatment facilities do not permit unauthorized
visitors to enter their facilities, the first step is to establish contact with
administrators. In some areas, the initial contact may be by a committee
on cooperation with the professional community (C.P.C. committee).
A meeting to discuss ways A.A. can cooperate with the facility
within our Twelve Traditions will help avoid numerous pitfalls later.
If possible, arrange for informational presentations to the facilities’
staff for the purpose of explaining what A.A. is and is not. The
General Service Office can provide service material offering suggestions
for informational programs. The video “Hope: Alcoholics
Anonymous” explains the principles of A.A., our primary purpose
and many other aspects which will be of interest to administrators,
counselors and patients.
The pamphlet “A.A. in Treatment Facilities” describes different
types of meetings in treatment centers. In some instances, regular
A.A. groups meet in facilities where they rent space in the Tradition
of self-support and function in the same way as groups which meet
in church basements, schools, etc. The patients are welcome to
attend the meetings and this is a practical and simple way of introducing
patients to A.A. while they are still in treatment.
Treatment facility meetings differ from those of the regular group.
They are A.A. meetings held for patients and residents, and they
are usually not open to A.A.s in the community. A.A. members are
sometimes invited to arrange these meetings for the patients, and
these members often bring in one or two other speakers. Such
meetings are often the responsibility of a local treatment facility
A.A.®GUIDELINES
from G.S.O., Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163
A.A. Guidelines are compiled from the shared experience of A.A. members in various service areas. They also reflect
guidance given through the Twelve Traditions and the General Service Conference (U.S. and Canada). In keeping with our
Tradition of autonomy, except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole, most decisions are made by the group
conscience of the members involved. The purpose of these Guidelines is to assist in reaching an informedgroup conscience.
TREATMENT FACILITIES
Committees
committee. Other times these meetings are arranged by the treatment
facility administrators.
Alcoholics in treatment are often able to go to regular meetings of A.A.
groups in the community. Care should be taken to ensure that groups
receive adequate notice so they can be prepared for the visitors.
All A.A. groups and members should be given the opportunity of
sharing in and doing this type of Twelfth Step work. It has proved a
good idea to have members from many groups serve on these
committees. A chairperson is then elected and plans are developed
so that each treatment facility in the area will be assured of A.A.
help and cooperation.
Treatment facilities committees usually convene every month to
make assignments and handle other related business. Some of the
committees have shared the following activities with us. Perhaps
some of these ideas and programs might be used in your area.
1. Workshops have proved an effective way of informing and
preparing new committee members for their work with patients
and in sharing the experience of the member already involved in
this form of service.
2. Other areas have developed sets of guidelines that are helpful
for A.A.s newly involved in taking meetings to patients.
3. Many committees have sent letters to all treatment facilities in
their areas explaining what A.A. does and does not do.
4. The video “Hope: Alcoholics Anonymous” has been a useful tool
for both staff and patients.
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF T.F. COMMITTEES
1. With approval of administration, takes A.A. meetings into facilities
within its area.
2. Encourages group participation. In some areas each group has a
representative on the T.F. committee.
3. Coordinates temporary contact programs.
4. Arranges purchase and distribution of literature for these groups
and meetings.
RELATIONSHIP WITH TREATMENT
1. Seeks to understand, respect, and adhere to all treatment facility
regulations.
2. Makes information about A.A.’s function and purpose available.
3. Assists in the formation of new A.A. meetings in treatment facilities.
MEETINGS—SPEAKERS
In some areas, groups are assigned to specific times at specific
facilities and this system works very well. However, sometimes
commitments are not followed through. The major problem seems
to be deciding who is responsible for finding speakers. The specific
responsibility can be given to:
1. The contact chairperson or “meeting sponsor” for each facility,
who then seeks out individual speakers.
2. An individual appointed by the chairperson.
3. The chairperson of the committee, who arranges for rotation
among groups in the area.
4. Committee members who assume the total responsibility, rotating
the assignments among themselves, but obtaining other
speakers as well.
All people responsible for meetings at treatment facilities concur
that the more outside members who participate, the better. The
patient then has an opportunity to hear varied A.A. talks, and has a
better chance to identify.
The importance of dependability cannot be overemphasized.
LITERATURE AND AUDIOVISUAL MATERIALS
Most committees feel that adequate literature supplies and audiovisual
materials are essential for treatment center meetings. It is
especially important that each patient is supplied with a list of local
A.A. meetings. Supplies are financed and obtained in several ways:
1. Donated by area or district general service committees or local
intergroups.
2. Purchased with group contributions designated for this purpose.
3. Provided by groups through their T.F. representatives (where the
committee is organized and functioning to this extent).
4. Donated by members of the committee.
5. Special funds:
a. Buck of the Month Club—members contribute funds used for
treatment facilities literature.
b. Special meetings or dinners, at which a collection is taken.
c. Special containers at regular meetings, marked “For
Treatment Facilities Literature.”
Note: Treatment Facilities Discount Packages are available from
G.S.O.
TEMPORARY CONTACTS AND SPONSORSHIP
Experience shows that even though a patient may have been participating
in a group or meeting in a treatment facility, there is anxiety
about the transition to a regular group on the outside. With the
reminder that A.A. has only sobriety to offer, many committees do
try to provide some additional personal contact so this transition
period can be made easier. In many places, this is referred to as
“bridging the gap” between treatment and a home group. The pamphlet
“Bridging the Gap” is available from G.S.O.
1. A growing number of areas have established temporary contact
programs. Contact G.S.O. for details.
2. Where there is a local intergroup, newly released patients may
be put in contact with an A.A. member who may act as a temporary
sponsor or contact.
3. In some areas, patients are allowed to attend outside meetings
and this makes “bridging the gap” easier.
4. The contact chairperson or meeting sponsor meets the patient
when he or she is discharged from the facility. Since sponsorship is
personal, many areas have found it helpful to have patients select
their own sponsors once contact with the outside has been made.
The initial contacts do not necessarily continue as sponsors, but do
serve as a vital link between the facility and the outside A.A. group.
When G.S.O. receives a request for A.A. contacts from a treatment
facility professional, a friendly letter of explanation about anonymity
is sent with a list of central offices, intergroups and answering services
enclosed. The request is sent to the area delegate for information
and follow up as recommended by the 1994 General
Service Conference.
INFORMING THE FELLOWSHIP
As in all A.A. activity, communication of needs and progress is
important. Such communication can be maintained through:
1. Group representatives at district, area or intergroup/central office
meetings.
2. The use of newsletters or bulletins distributed by the area, district
or intergroup/central office. We have heard of one treatment
facilities committee attempting to share information through its
own newsletter.
3. Announcements at regular A.A. meetings by T.F. committee
members.
4. Treatment facilities workshops at area assemblies and regional
or state conferences and conventions.
5. Monthly committee meetings to which all A.A.s are invited.
Committee minutes help keep everyone well informed and provide
a good record of committee activity and progress. G.S.O.
appreciates receiving committee minutes, if possible.
RELATIONSHIP TO AL-ANON
Many areas report it is helpful to cooperate with Al-Anon Family
Groups, in order that the family of the patient may gain a better
understanding of our Fellowship. For information, contact Al-Anon
Family Group Headquarters, Inc., 1600 Corporate Landing
Parkway, Virginia Beach, VA 23454–5617. Tel: (800) 356–9996.
RELATIONSHIP TO G.S.O.
G.S.O. maintains a mailing list of treatment facilities chairpersons
and committee members (U.S. and Canada).
Committee chairpersons receive the Treatment Facilities
Workbook, A.A. Directories and are on the mailing list for About
A.A., a newsletter for the professional community, and Box 4-5-9
that sometimes contains a section on treatment facilities news.
Please keep in touch so that your activities may be shared through
Box 4-5-9, and add your experiences to the files, to help others
who are involved in this rewarding area of service.
G.S.O.’s A.A. WEB SITE
G.S.O.’s A.A. Web Site is located at: www.alcoholics-anonymous.org
The contents of the Web Site are:
• The A.A. General Service Conference-approved A.A. Fact File
• The Conference-approved pamphlet “Is A.A. for You?”, and “A
Newcomer Asks”
• List of Central Offices/Intergroups/Answering Services in the U.S.
and Canada
• List of international general service offices and central/intergroup
offices
• A letter directed to professionals, which includes an e-mail
response form for requesting additional information
The A.A. Web Site has been incredibly successful. In 1997 the Web
Site was visited 215,000 times. We invite you to visit this Web Site
and provide information about it in your T.F. presentations.
|
|
