Treatment facilities committees are formed to coordinate the work of
individual AA 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 AA group in the individual’s
community. In Area 78 we view hospitals as treatment facilities. A more
detailed description of our guideline can be found at
www.aa.org and then search for AA Guidelines,
Treatment Facilities Committees.
BRIDGING THE GAP
Bridging the Gap is a temporary contact program designed to
assist the newcomer to Alcoholics Anonymous to make the transition from a
treatment facility to AA.
Often
people are introduced to AA when they are in a Treatment Facility or
hospital, but when they return to their own community, it can be very
difficult for them to reach out to Alcoholics Anonymous for help. The
purpose of “Bridging the Gap” is to supply the newcomer with a temporary
contact when they get home from the facility until they become comfortable
attending meetings on their own.
How
does it work? Before the person leaves the facility, they contact the
appropriate “Bridging the Gap” committee, who locates a temporary contact in
the home community. This temporary contact gets in touch with the
person leaving treatment, to set up a time and a place to meet upon
returning home. The temporary contact can then take the newcomer to a few
meetings and introduce them to Alcoholics Anonymous. The temporary contact
can also answer any questions that the newcomer might have about AA;
s/he can shed some light on things like the importance of home groups,
sponsors, going to meetings, etc.
If you
live in Area 78 (Alberta, Northwest Territories, southeastern and north
eastern BC) and would like to sign up to be a temporary
contact please send an email to tfchair @ area78.org with your name and phone number and we will contact
you. Be sure to read the pamphlet “Bridging the Gap” so that you will be fully
aware of what is expected of you and you will know what a temporary contact
does and does not do.
