Purpose

The purpose of the Treatment Facilities Committee is to cooperate with Intergroup/District Treatment Facilities and Institution Committees and the General Service Office (GSO) in New York, when requested, 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 the larger AA community. Basic functions of the committee are to:

• Be available to take regular AA meeting into facilities, when asked by the Intergroup/District committees and allowed to do so by the facilities
• Encourage AA group and local Intergroup/District committee participation
• Provide a liaison between treatment facilities’ meetings and groups on the outside
• Coordinate temporary contacts with individuals and AA groups to ensure that individuals will be guided to a meeting at the time of their release.
• Arrange purchase and distribution of literature for these AA groups and meetings
• Meet with administrators of institutions and agencies dealing with alcoholism to share information about Alcoholics Anonymous.

Duties

The Chairperson of the Treatment Facilities Committee:

• Is appointed by the Area Chairperson for a term of two years, beginning in January of the even-numbered years
• Attends the Area Assembly and Area Committee meetings
• Chairs Treatment Facilities Committee meeting, coordinating information received from Intergroup/District  Treatment Facilities representatives for reporting back to the Area Assembly
• Coordinates annual Treatment Facilities panels for the State Convention and Fall Conference
• Acts as a conduit for communication between GSO and the Intergroup/District Treatment Facilities committees
• Assists the Intergroup/District Treatment Facilities committees wherever and whenever possible
• Prepares the annual Treatment Facilities Committee’s budget request to be submitted to the Finance Committee in October of each year and is prepared with supporting documentation to answer any questions which may be asked during the budget approval process in December

• May attend Maryland General Service Area 29 functions and request reimbursement as provided in the Area 29 Budget for this committee and approved by the Area Assembly each year:
  • Area 29 State Convention
  • Area 29 Fall Conference
  • Northeast Regional Forum
  • Northeast Regional Alcoholics Anonymous Service Assembly
• Attends Regional Panel meetings where topic applies to Treatment Facilities
• Is encouraged to write and submit service-related articles for the quarterly Margenser Newsletter
• As requested, attends group, Intergroup, District or other Area AA events to share information and knowledge of the AA fellowship
• Forms a working committee of AA members to assist in carrying out the performance of these responsibilities