Purpose

The purpose of the Accessibilities Committee is to determine resources and recommend activities that will help carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to those with accessibility needs, both inside and outside the rooms of Alcoholics Anonymous.

Accessibility Needs, but not limited to:

• Alcoholics who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• Alcoholics who live in rural areas/isolated, home or hospital bound.
• Alcoholics who do not have transportation or are unable to drive themselves due to health conditions or DUI.
• Alcoholics who are in nursing homes/foster care homes.
• Alcoholics who use a wheelchair, walker, or cane.
• Alcoholics who are blind or have low vision.
• Alcoholics wo speak a foreign language or English as a second language.
• Alcoholics who have limited English reading or writing skills.
• Alcoholics who are single parents that are unable to find suitable childcare attend meetings.
• Alcoholics who are developmentally disabled.

Service Opportunities Available!

Please contact the Area 29 Accessibilities Chair at accessibility@marylandaa.org for more information on how you could help make a difference.

Accessibility Forms for Area 29

Accessibility Volunteer sign up sheet — For groups signing up individual members to assist members with disabilities.

Committee Duties

Duties and Responsibilities of the Accessibilities Committee

• Attends Area Assembly and Committee meetings.
• Attends Monthly Area 29 Accessibility Committee Meeting
• Shares information and resources on the A.A. program with all persons with accessibility needs, including but not limited to:
  • Deaf/Blind, Hard of Hearing
  • Blind or Low Vision
  • Homebound/Bedridden
  • Speech and Language Barriers
  • Military/ Veterans
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Remote Communities
  • Foreign language or English as a second language
  • Cooperation with the Elder Community/CEC
  • Executive Functioning: ADHD, Autism, Brain injury
  • Nursing Homes/Assisted Living
  • Loners Internationalists Correspondence Service
  • Lack of Transportation/Mobility
  • Childcare Availability
• Works to coordinate and provide guidance in setting up A.A. meetings in Area 29 as needed and requested for special needs groups as listed above.
• Coordinates work to identify and improve physical accessibility at meeting locations in Area 29
• Works to raise awareness of general etiquette for interacting with people with disabilities.
• Coordinates with Intergroup, District or individual A.A. Groups Accessibilities Committees when they need help or guidance.
• Make available, when possible, equipment to help hearing, sight, or otherwise impaired A.A. members communicate at A.A. Group meetings, workshops, or convention-type gatherings.
• When required, provides listings of ASL Interpreters within defined boundaries in Area 29
• Makes available, when possible, and as needed, Braille, audio, video, non-English speaking A.A. Literature, meeting listings, posters, and flyers.
• Works to coordinate and help start non-English speaking A.A. meetings as needed and requested within Area 29
• Promotes and supports existing Accessibilities services within Area 29
• Prepares the annual Accessibilities Committee budget request to be submitted to the Finance Committee in the fall of each year and is prepared with supporting documentation to answer any questions which may be asked during the budget approval process.
• May attend service functions or events as listed on page 54 of this Handbook and request reimbursement as provided in the Area 29 Budget for this committee and approved by the Area Assembly each year.
• Is encouraged to write and submit service-related articles for the quarterly Maryland General Service Newsletter, the MARGENSER
• Attends one or more Conference Agenda Review Committee (“CARC”) meetings, the Area Mini Conference, and is responsible to review the Accessibilities Kit and Workbook to make any recommendations for changes to the Area and/or the General Service Conference Coordinator
• As requested, attends groups, Intergroup, District or other Area A.A. events to share information and knowledge of the A.A. fellowship.

Reprinted from Area 29 Area Assembly Handbook, January 2019, P. 30.

Accessibility Related Service Materials

• Accessibilities Workbook (M-48I)
• Content of Accessibilities Kit (F-182W)
• Accessibilities Checklist (SMF-208)
• About AA (Newsletter) – A.A. for the Alcoholic with Special Needs (F-13C)
• AA For the Alcoholic with Special Needs (P-83)
• AA Guidelines – Accessibility for all Alcoholics (MG-16)
• Serving All Alcoholics (F-107)
• Loners-International Meeting (LIM) Correspondence Service (SMF-123)
• BOX 459 – Sign of the Times
• Frequently Asked Questions About AA – Large Print (P-57)
• This is AA – Large Print (P-56)
• AA For the Older Alcoholic (P-22)
• AA Guidelines – Sharing the AA Message with the Alcoholic Who is Deaf (MG-13)

For further information contact the Accessibilities Committee