Alcoholics Anonymous Oregon Area 58

Cooperation with Treatment Facilities:

Guidelines and Suggestions for Working Within the Treatment Facilities Rules and Regulations*

The following guidelines for carrying the A.A. message into treatment facilities were formulated and suggested by an area treatment facilities committee. Remember, non-A.A. professionals cannot be expected to be aware of A.A.’s Traditions. A.A. members are invited guests in the Facilities. Cooperation is the key to successful Twelfth Stepping treatment facilities.

Acquaint yourself with the following A.A. Conference-approved pamphlets: “A.A-Tradition-How It Developed,” “A.A. in Treatment Facilities,” ‘Bridging the Gap,” and “How A.A. Members Cooperate.”
Personal appearance is vital. Look as neat and well groomed as possible.
Personal conduct is also important while inside these facilities. We are ladies and gentlemen, and our behavior reflects this. Be there on time or five minutes early. Refrain from using any foul language in any group situation. Be polite and respectful to the residents and staff. We are there as their guests.
Cooperate with the facility. Although we have our own Traditions which guide us, when we are inside any facility or institution we follow their rules to the letter. The reasons for their rules may not seem to be clear to us, but it is not up to us to question them. We just cooperate fully.

Some of these guidelines may seem to be strongly stated, and for some very good reasons. In many cases, many months of hard work have gone into establishing the relationship which enables us to be invited into a facility. Careless action on any level by any A.A. member could destroy that trust, and we would no longer be permitted to carry the A.A. message into that facility.

When we are carrying the A.A. message into a treatment facility, we are not just one drunk talking to another. In their eyes, we represent the entire Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. How we look, act and talk are all they are going to know about A.A. This is a very important responsibility.

Remember, we already know that the A.A. program works. They don’t! Let our new friends see, hear and talk to a winner!

Temporary Contact Program to "Bridge The Gap" between Treatment and A.A.

Simply put, a temporary contact is an A.A. member who works with clients who are being discharged from treatment facilities and helps them bridge the gap to A.A. in the local community.

The guidelines and form for volunteer temporary A.A. contacts and the form for requesting a temporary contact are available for download on the "Bridging the Gap" webpage.

Suffering and recovery from alcoholism form our common bond. Over the past sixty-plus years, A.A. has had significant experience and success with helping alcoholics. We welcome the opportunity to share what we have to offer with anyone who wants help with a problem with alcoholism.

Resources

The Emerald Valley Intergroup H & I Committee has developed a 'Code of Conduct' which may also be helpful to those starting a Treatment Facilities meeting or District Treatment Facilities Committee:

G.S.O Links:

Guidelines Treatment Facilities Committee
http://www.aa.org/default/en_pdfs/mg-14_treatfacilcomm.pdf
Cooperating with court,DWI and similar programs
http://www.aa.org/default/en_pdfs/mg-05_coopwithcourt.pdf
Box 4-5-9
http://www.aa.org/default/en_services_aa.cfm?pageid=20
Service material from GSO
http://www.aa.org/default/en_services.cfm
Information on Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.aa.org/default/en_about_aa.cfm?pegeid=25

People and Contact:

CTF South (Chair): Ted H. ctf-s@aa-oregon.org
(Please put CTF in the subject line on email)

CTF North: Juvenal H. ctf-n@aa-oregon.org