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Guidelines for Hosting/Adopting a Facility

Treatment Facilities Guidelines for Hosting and/or Adopting a Facility

Hosting an Intergroup Sponsored Treatment Facility

Host groups are an insurance that the A.A. message will be carried in the event that the assigned group is unable to cover its assignment. A host commitment usually lasts six months (but we will discuss other lengths of time for hosting) at the facility of the group’s choice. If your group is interested in taking a host commitment, please call the Intergroup office (215-923-7900), talk to the Treatment Facilities Director, or come to the Treatment Facilities meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at the Intergroup office at 7:00 PM.

  1. MEMBERS OF THE HOST GROUP ARE NOT INTENDED TO BE SUBSTITUTES. They are the guardians of our 5th Tradition.
  2. HOST GROUPS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE LITERATURE PACKAGES. The group that takes the commitment is responsible to bring the literature to the facility.
  3. HOST MEMBERS SHOULD NOT CHAIR THE MEETING. Each member has the option to stay or leave when the assigned group shows up (if the facility allows this-sometimes they have a limit on the number of outside people at the meeting). However, if the assigned group is late and the Host has read the Preamble, the Host conducts the meeting.
  4. IN THE EVENT THE ASSIGNED GROUP DOES NOT SHOW, THE HOST WILL HOLD THE MEETING AND TREPORT THE MISS TO THE INTERGROUP OFFICE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
  5. Host groups uphold our 5th Tradition by making sure that our primary purpose is achieved by carrying the A.A. message to the suffering alcoholic in the facility you are covering.
Adopting an Intergroup Sponsored Treatment Facility

Adopting a treatment facility is a commitment for one year in that the facility will no longer be covered by the IGR’s that participate in the bimonthly selection of commitments for their groups. Any group that is interested in adopting a facility sponsored by Intergroup must contact the Treatment Facilities Committee. The group must first host the commitment for six months to make sure you really want to adopt it. If you wish to do this, you should attend the Treatment Facilities meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at the Intergroup office at 7:00 PM. Individuals are not eligible to adopt a facility. In the interest of fairness to all IGR’s and to assure coverage, the following guidelines have been set.

  1. A group may adopt only one Intergroup sponsored facility.
  2. Any group interested in adopting a facility should act as a host group for six months to be certain of their commitment and their willingness and ability to cover the facility on a long-term basis.
  3. Any adopting group must send a representative to either the odd month IGR meeting at the FOP hall (2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 PM) or the Treatment Facilities Committee meeting at the Intergroup office (1st Tuesday of the month at 7:00 PM).
  4. Adopting groups are responsible for getting literature to the treatment facility. Literature can be picked up at the Treatment Facilities meeting or the IGR’s Commitment Night meeting at the FOP on the even months.
  5. Any problems should be brought to the attention f the Treatment Facilities Committee. Please do not confront program directors or staff members. We are invited guests.
  6. Adopting groups should uphold our 5th Tradition by making sure that our primary purpose is achieved by carrying the A.A. message to the suffering alcoholics in the treatment facility they have adopted.
  7. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE LINES OF COMMUNCATION REMAIN OPEN BETWEEN THE COMMITTEE AND THE ADOPTING GROUP. SOMETIMES WEEKS HAVE PASSED BEFORE WE KNEW OF A PROBLEM AND WERE ABLE TO ADDRESS IT.