Accessibilities
Mission Statement
We explore, develop, and offer resources to alcoholics with significant barriers to receiving the A.A.message and to participating in our program of recovery. We want A.A. to be available to all alcoholics who reach out for it.
We focus on
• Projects that support members with a variety of accessibility challenges.
• Communications that keep the public and appropriate agencies informed about A.A. accessibility.
• Providing resources and guidance to groups so that they can accommodate all A.A. members
Alki-Line
Let Us Hear from You!
The Alki-Line wants short articles, photos, and letters. Suggestions and constructive criticism are always welcome.
Three ways to contact us:
* E-MAIL: To submit an article right now, click HERE
* MAIL: Alki-Line, P.O. Box 7060, Meriden, CT 06450
* HAND material to a GSR (Group Service Representative.)
| Deadline for Submissions | |
| Issue | Deadline |
| Dec – Jan | Nov 1 |
| Feb – Mar | Jan 1 |
| Apr – May | Mar 1 |
| Jun – Jul | May 1 |
| Aug – Sep | Jul 1 |
| Oct – Nov | Sep 1 |
Answering Service
What we do:
The Answering Service is an initial point of contact for people who may be struggling with alcohol or those wanting information about Alcoholics Anonymous. The service we provide is the same as giving your phone number to a newcomer except that you may never have met the person who is reaching out for help. All that you must do is share your experience, strength, and hope with another.
How it works:
A person who is looking for help can the Area wide toll free number: 1-866-STEPS12 (1-866-783-7712). The call taker will take the caller’s information (gender, location, phone number and why they are calling). If it is a twelfth step call the call center will go through the list of A.A. volunteers and see who is available to return the call. The call center does their best to match men with men and women with women from the same town. Your phone number is NEVER given out to anyone. It is up to you to return the call. Some people call because they are looking for a ride to a meeting. You are under no obligation to bring someone to a meeting. If you feel comfortable doing so you may. It is suggested that you always bring someone with you. This helps ensure the safety of everyone involved.
How to sign up as a volunteer:
It is very simple. Please print and fill out the sheet below. We ask that you please put your first name and last initial. This helps us to keep our records straight. Please indicate the days and times you are available to return calls. We understand that not everyone is available all day every day. Thanks to this program we have careers and families that need us as well. You can then give it to your groups GSR to hand to the District Answering Service Chair. You may also email the form.
Archives
The Area 11 Archives Committee of Alcoholics Anonymous is a repository of personal collections, manuscripts, publications, photographs, memorabilia, CD’s and other material as it relates to the origin and the development of Alcoholics Anonymous in the state of Connecticut (Area 11) It is our objective to make the history of the organization accessible to AA members and other researchers, and to provide a context for understanding AA’s progression, principles and traditions. The Archives committee recognizes it’s responsibility to protect the anonymity of all AA members.
Bridging The Gap
Bridging the Gap is a program designed to forge that essential link between treatment and recovery by providing temporary contacts for alcoholics being released from institutions.
Cooperation With Professional Community
Cooperation with the Professional Community (C.P.C.) is AA’s official contact with members of the Professional Community.
Professionals include: Health Care Professionals; Mental Health Professionals; Social Workers; Human Resources Professionals; Legal Professionals; Corrections Professionals; Treatment Center Staff; Educators; Members of the Clergy; Police Officers.
What We Do:
AA’s local committees for Cooperation with the Professional Community (C.P.C.) provide information about Alcoholics Anonymous to members of the community whose profession may bring them in regular contact with anyone who may suffer from the disease of alcoholism. We offer information through a variety of methods, and seek to establish simple and effective ways to work with professionals with a policy of “cooperation, but not affiliation.”
Our Methods:
Exhibits:
Upon request, our committee is available to set up exhibit tables offering informational pamphlets and statewide meeting schedule booklets at any professional event.
Presentations:
We are available to give presentations about Alcoholics Anonymous for any group of professionals. We are flexible and able to fit this within any time frame – from ten minutes to an hour. This may take place at a staff meeting, in a classroom, or any other setting. Our presentations may take place in a variety of different ways, depending on your request: Power Point presentation, brief talk with fact sheet hand-outs, etc.
Literature:
We have packets available which each contain letters and pamphlets describing AA. These are available upon request. If you wish to receive a literature catalog, we have those available as well.
Attend an “Open” AA Meeting:
AA meetings are designated as either “open” or “closed.” Anyone may attend an open meeting, alcoholic or not. A listed meeting will either have “O” or “C” next to it. We encourage anyone who wishes to learn more about AA to attend an open meeting. If you would prefer to attend a meeting accompanied by an AA member, one of our committee members would be happy to accompany you.
Resources:
. Area 11 C.P.C. Committee: If you wish to contact us, e-mail cpc@ct-aa.org. We look forward to hearing from you!
. Answering Service: 1-866-Steps12 is Connecticut’s statewide answering service for Alcoholics Anonymous. A caller has the option to either ask for a local meeting listing or to speak to an AA member.
. Alcoholics Anonymous Website: The AA website, www.aa.org, offers a variety of resources. Informational pamphlets can be viewed in PDF format. Three short video segments for professionals are streaming on the website.
. About AA is a newsletter for professionals printed by the staff assignment for Cooperation with the Professional Community at the General Service Office twice a year. This is available by mail, but can also be viewed on www.aa.org.
. Corrections and Treatment: If you work in a correctional facility or a treatment facility and are interested in having an AA meeting on-site, you can e-mail Area 11’s Corrections (corrections@ct-aa.org) and Treatment (treatment@ct-aa.org) committees.
. The A.A. Grapevine: The Grapevine is the International Journal of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is a monthly periodical available by subscription, which is more or less a “meeting in print.” These can especially be useful for waiting rooms. Visit www.aagrapevine.org for more information.
. La Viña: Also available by subscription, La Viña is the Spanish version of the Grapevine. Visit www.aagrapevine.org/espanol.
For AA Members:
Looking to carry the message of AA? The C.P.C. Committee has a variety of ways you can get involved. Opportunities are available whether you want to be an active committee member, or simply be involved in a small way such as bringing an informational packet to your primary care physician. Many AA members were referred by a professional (doctor, lawyer, social worker, etc.). This is a vital AA service. Members of the professional community have been our advocates since the early days of AA in the 1930’s. This has played a key role in AA’s growth. Alcoholics Anonymous has maintained a policy of being “friendly with our friends.” If you wish to get involved, contact us at cpc@ct-aa.org.
For AA Members Employed in the Alcoholism Field:
The C.P.C. Committee is available to offer you resources as well! As an AA member who is also employed in a helping profession, you may have certain questions about anonymity, affiliation, and other concerns involving the difference between your job and Alcoholics Anonymous. The AA Guidelines for AA Members Employed in the Alcoholism Field may be of particular interest (available for viewing on www.aa.org), and we are also available to answer any questions you may have.
Corrections
Mission Statement
The AA Corrections committee cooperates with institutions throughout the state of Connecticut by arranging meetings and the resources to conduct meetings at Prisons, Jails and Halfway Houses. Meetings are chaired and run by individual AA’s and AA Groups. The committee also purchases and distributes AA literature for the patients at these institutions. Individual AA members or groups interested in sponsoring meetings can email the Corrections Committee.
Grapevine Committee
Mission Statement
The AA Grapevine is the international journal of Alcoholics Anonymous, Written, edited, illustrated, and read by AA members and others interested in the AA program of recovery from alcoholism, the Grapevine is a lifeline linking one alcoholic to another.
Widely known as a “meeting in print,” the AA Grapevine communicates the experience, strength, and hope of its contributors and reflects a broad geographic spectrum of current AA experience with recovery, unity, and service. Founded in 1944, the Grapevine does not receive group contributions, but is supported entirely through magazine subscription sales and additional income derived from the sale of Grapevine items.
The awareness that every AA member has an individual way of working the program permeates the pages of the Grapevine, and throughout its history the magazine has been a forum for the varied and often divergent opinions of AA’s around the world. Articles are not intended to be statements of AA policy, nor does publication of any article imply endorsement by either AA or the Grapevine.
As Bill W.expressed it in 1946, “The Grapevine will be the voice of the Alcoholics Anonymous movement. Its editors and staff will be primarily accountable to the AA movement as a whole… Within the bounds of friendliness and good taste, the Grapevine will enjoy perfect freedom of speech on all matters directly pertaining to Alcoholics Anonymous…. Like the Alcoholics Anonymous movement it is to mirror, there will be but one central purpose: The Grapevine will try to carry the AA message to alcoholics and practice the AA principles in all its affairs.”
Public Information Committee
Mission Statement
The purpose of this committee is to carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to the alcoholic who still suffers through the use of the media and public speakers. This committee serves as the central source of information that is made available to the public regarding Alcoholics Anonymous. The committee ensures that any information the public receives is correct and is given within the guidelines of the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Schedules
The Schedules Committee gathers meeting informaation for Area 11 and updates the the Meetiing Finder on ct-aa.org accordingly.
Treatment Center Committee
Mission Statement
The AA Treatment Center committee cooperates with many institutions throughout the state of Connecticut by arranging meetings and the resources to conduct meetings at detoxification units and hospitals. Meetings are chaired and run by individual AA’s and AA Groups. The committee also purchases and distributes AA literature for the patients at these institutions. Individual AA members or groups interested in sponsoring meetings can fill out the form on this page and email the Treatment Center Committee.
Website Committee
Mission Statement
The purpose of the Area 11 Connecticut General Service Committee, Inc. website is to carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous by providing a resource on the Internet where information can be obtained about Alcoholics Anonymous in general and in relation to Area 11, Connecticut.
Area 11
Service
Committees
To create additional information pages for service committees, email webchair@ct-aa.org.
