Treatment & Accessibilities Committee

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 service 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.

-from A.A. Guidelines, Treatment Facilities Committees

Suggested treatment Activities

Make presentations to treatment facilities or outpatient treatment settings and offer regular presentations to accommodate staff changes.
Set up Treatment Committee literature displays at district meetings, area meetings, seminars, conventions, etc.
Create a local Treatment Committee presentation based on the Treatment Committee Workbook and local experience for psychiatric hospitals, assisted living facilities, youth noncorrectional facilities, shelters, sober houses, and a variety of other treatment settings. Use of the DVD Hope: Alcoholics Anonymous or the DVD A.A. Videos for Young People, where appropriate, may be helpful.
Contact assisted living facilities, to offer A.A. presentations or meetings.
Contact psychiatric hospitals to offer A.A. presentations or meetings.
Contact homeless shelters and offer A.A. presentations or meetings.
Contact sober houses and offer A.A. presentations or meetings.
Contact outpatient rehabilitation programs and offer A.A. presentations or meetings.
Contact local Veterans Administration Hospitals or facilities and offer A.A. presentations or meetings.
Create a Temporary Contact (Bridging the Gap) program.

Get Started in Treatment

Bridging the Gap

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Accessibility challenges apply to all alcoholics who have difficulties participating in Alcoholics Anonymous, whether those are mental, physical, geographic, cultural, or other factors that vary among people. Some of these alcoholics may experience barriers to accessing the A.A. message, including the literature, meetings, Twelve Step work, and the service structure. For the purpose of these guidelines in defining the accessibility issues that many alcoholics face, we refer primarily to persons who are blind or and/or deaf, have hearing and/or vision loss, those who are housebound or chronically ill, those who are living with the effects of brain injury or stroke, and many others who may have various kinds of abilities. Barriers to the message of Alcoholics Anonymous are not always readily evident.

Suggested Accessibility Activities

Coordinate Accessibilities workshops at the group, district or area level.
Conduct a survey of meetings that are accessible to people in wheelchairs and add this information to local meeting lists/“Where and Whens” (wheelchair accessibility includes both the entrance to the meeting and access to bathroom facilities).
Conduct a survey of local, district or area meetings with American Sign Language (A.S.L.) interpretation and add this information to local meeting lists/“Where and Whens.”
Help arrange for American Sign Language interpreters at A.A. meetings.
Record a video of professional interpreters signing A.A. meetings, for posting on social media, local A.A. websites, or sharing with members who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing.
Make A.A. informational presentations at schools for the Blind, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing; vocational rehabilitation agencies; rehabilitation centers for people with brain injuries; and centers for those with intellectual challenges or differences.
Arrange meetings for A.A. members who do not have regular access to A.A. meetings, e.g. in hospitals; rehabilitation centers for those with injuries or physical differences; residences for those with intellectual or information processing challenges; and those in assisted living or skilled nursing facilities.
Take a meeting to homebound A.A. members along with two or more members of the Fellowship.
Provide Accessibilities workshops and assistance to people with disabilities at conventions, conferences, service weekends, service meetings, special events, etc.
Gather local information and identify outside local resources regarding accessibility requirements and options.

Get started in accessibilities

Accessibilities Workbook

For anyone interested in service opportunities with the Treatment Committee, please use this contact form.

Go to "District Committee Meetings"
for Times & Locations

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