Corrections Committee Page

                              AREA 69 PRE-CONFERENCE ASSEMBLY                                            

                                           CORRECTIONS REPORT

                                                   April 4-6, 2008

Dear Fellowship;

Area 69 Corrections committees have been hard at work these past few months opening new dialogue with a number of correctional professionals, making presentations, opening new meetings in lock down facilities, and putting on workshops for inside AA members.

What a tremendous opportunity it is so carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to people who might otherwise not get a meeting without this kind of service work being

done behind the scene! There are many service opportunities for outside AA. members to volunteer at correctional facilities throughout the state of Utah. You can contact your District Corrections Chair or the Area 69 Corrections Chair for more information on how you can get involved. We need you!

A substance abuse conference is being sponsored by the Sevier Valley Substance Abuse Council (SVSAC) in Richfield, Utah on April 18 & 19, 2008. The SVSAC is working closely with city officials and community leaders in providing a venue where a variety of people may gather to address drug and alcohol addiction problems in our homes and communities. Alcoholics Anonymous has been invited to participate by having a booth/display throughout the day on Saturday and providing information to anyone who wishes to learn more about alcohol addiction and recovery from alcoholism. The Area 69 CPC and Corrections Chairs will be working together to man this event and are looking forward to going to District 6. If anyone is interested in participating please contact Jared or myself at www.utahaa.org  and click on CPC or Corrections, or through the Area 69 telephone directory.

It is always an honor and a privilege to serve Alcoholics Anonymous and Area 69. Thank you for the opportunity!

Respectfully,

Renae H.

Area 69 Corrections Chair               

                              AREA 69 PRE-CONFERENCE ASSEMBLY                                            

                                           CORRECTIONS REPORT

                                                   April 4-6, 2008

Dear Fellowship;

Area 69 Corrections committees have been hard at work these past few months opening new dialogue with a number of correctional professionals, making presentations, opening new meetings in lock down facilities, and putting on workshops for inside AA members.

What a tremendous opportunity it is so carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to people who might otherwise not get a meeting without this kind of service work being

done behind the scene! There are many service opportunities for outside AA. members to volunteer at correctional facilities throughout the state of Utah. You can contact your District Corrections Chair or the Area 69 Corrections Chair for more information on how you can get involved. We need you!

A substance abuse conference is being sponsored by the Sevier Valley Substance Abuse Council (SVSAC) in Richfield, Utah on April 18 & 19, 2008. The SVSAC is working closely with city officials and community leaders in providing a venue where a variety of people may gather to address drug and alcohol addiction problems in our homes and communities. Alcoholics Anonymous has been invited to participate by having a booth/display throughout the day on Saturday and providing information to anyone who wishes to learn more about alcohol addiction and recovery from alcoholism. The Area 69 CPC and Corrections Chairs will be working together to man this event and are looking forward to going to District 6. If anyone is interested in participating please contact Jared or myself at www.utahaa.org  and click on CPC or Corrections, or through the Area 69 telephone directory.

It is always an honor and a privilege to serve Alcoholics Anonymous and Area 69. Thank you for the opportunity!

Respectfully,

Renae H.

Area 69 Corrections Chair                                              AREA 69 PRE-CONFERENCE ASSEMBLY                                            

AREA 69 REPORT BACK
September 19, 2007

Dear Friends;

First, I want to thank Area 69 for the tremendous opportunity to serve and participate in the National Bridging the Gap Workshop Weekend (BTGWW) held in White River Junction, Vermont September 14-16, 2007. It is always motivating and energizing to be a part of this type of service function. Much heart and earnestness is brought to the table in an effort to not only carryout 12 Step work inside Treatment and Correctional facilities, but to also improve the chances for a successful sober transition back into life.

The workshop began Friday evening with introductions of participants, the Area each represented, and their A.A. service position and/or interest in BTG work. (Approximately 50-60 in attendance over the course of the weekend.) We were then treated to the introduction of Warren S., NY, NY Treatment Facilities Desk, General Service Office. Warren gave us a report on GSO and expressed his enthusiasm to be a part of BTGWW.

Saturday began with a “BTG Activities” topic panel which included A.A. members from CA, NV, N.H. and Ontario, Canada sharing on what work is being done in their Area. The second panel consisted of three Treatment/Medical Professionals. Don West, PH.D Director of Treatment at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Vermont talked about the struggle of recovery where medication and mental issues are involved. There are new drugs being used with some success in the treatment of Alcoholism in some patients, but it is unanimously recognized that a change of behavior and thinking is necessary to maintain separation from the addiction. This is where the 12 Step recovery program of Alcoholics Anonymous is so widely accepted and welcomed and valued as a means to improve patient’s lives. We also heard about the struggles of administrative politics and how these types of issues can make the job even more complicated and frustrating. The panel also included Elena VanZandt, M. ED. LADC, and John Severinghaus M.D., Medical Director of Valley Vista In-patient Substance Dependence Treatment and Psycho-pharmacology. At the end of the Q&A time they each echoed one another in a request for A.A. members to make people coming out of treatment feel more welcomed in our meetings. Their patients have shared their feeling of being uncomfortable in A.A. meetings and not wanting to return.

The afternoon and evening sessions consisted of more panel topics and discussion, and wrapped up with Warren S. sharing his personal story in a speaker’s meeting. Sunday’s business meeting primarily dealt with forming proposed guidelines to carry out the responsibility of the BTGWW and how positions will be filled and duties carried out. An ad-hoc committee was formed to review and combine two separate submissions of guidelines presented to the BTGWW body, to be available for 2008 BTGWW business meeting being hosted in Oakland, CA. There was also discussion of revising the GSO pamphlet called Bridging the Gap, to include more understandable content that BTG is not only used in treatment but also in corrections, and is sometimes referred to interchangeably as the Pre-release Contact Program. Many participants felt that this was confusing not only to them, but also the people they are trying to share this with.

It is inspiring to me any time a number of people come together with cause and with passion; to watch our Steps and Traditions work in concert to form such wonderful results in service!

In love and service—Renae H.

Dear Fellowship;

Twelve Step work in correctional facilities throughout Area 69 is increasingly growing, thus the need for AA members to carry the message behind the walls is of paramount importance. We have received more letters of interest and requests for inside meetings from inmates in the past several months than previously. One letter came to me by way of GSO Corrections desk where an inmate in the San Juan County Jail included the Jail Commander’s name and indicated that he (the Jail Commander) is open to starting a meeting if there would be a “committed” AA volunteer to facilitate the meeting and requested that this individual contact him directly. This is an example of a direction that seems to be spreading among correctional administrators in an effort to reduce the percentage of ex-offenders re-offending and returning to incarceration (recidivism) through programming and rehabilitation efforts.

The Fifth Tradition and Responsibility Statement is always a reminder to me that I must give away what was so freely given to me in order to keep it. GSO Corrections Desk is in constant need for outside AA’s to volunteer for the Correspondence by Mail program—particularly men, as there is a larger population of male offenders incarcerated through out the United States and Canada.

I will be attending the National BTG Workshop September 14-16 and will have a full report-back on the workshop at the Fall Assembly.

The Utah Association of Jail Commanders meeting agenda has been shifted around—AA’s presentation is now scheduled for Wednesday September 26^th at 9:00a.m.. I’m looking forward to the trip down to Washington County!

Our lovely Delegate Julie S. will also be present and available to answer any questions they may have

The Women’s Corrections Power point presentation was recently converted to DVD and we’re reproducing them.

This will definitely make them more “user-friendly” to everyone. The Men’s Corrections Power point has been modified and the suggestions we received at the Area 69 BTG workshop have been incorporated. We plan to view this during the allotted time in the Corrections Committee Round Table for feedback and comments.

The DVD called “A.A. In Correctional Facilities” has undergone its final revision since it was approved by the General Service Conference last April in New York, and is being reviewed by the Board of Trustees the end of this month to set the cost of the DVD. It will be released sometime in October.

Thank you for allowing me to serve Area 69.

Sincerely,

Renae H.

                      R.I.P. (Rest In Peace)

Alcoholics Anonymous was saddened to learn this week of the death of one of its members, “Someone Else”. Someone’s passing creates a vacancy that will be difficult to fill. “Someone Else” had been with us for many years and did far more than one person’s fair share of the work. Wherever there was a job to do, an activity to volunteer for, a committee meeting to attend, one name was on everyone’s list: “Let “Someone Else” do it.

It was common knowledge that “Someone Else” was among the largest contributers to A.A. Whenever there was a financial need, everyone just assumed that “Someone Else” would make up the difference. “Someone Else” sometimes appeared to be superhuman, but a person can only do so much. Were the truth known, everybody expected too much from “Someone Else”.

Now “Someone Else” is gone. We wonder what we are going to do. We can’t depend on “Someone Else” anymore. “Someone Else” left a wonderful example for us to follow–but who is going to follow it? Who is going to do the things “Someone Else” did? 

                                      Anonymous, May 2002 Grapevine

Our oppertunities for service work in A.A. are vast. Unfortunately, the reality is that not all service positions are being filled and not all needs are being met to carryout our 5th Tradition-”Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the alcoholic who still suffers.” Area 69 Corrections committee has a huge need for A.A. volunteers to carry out much needed 12 Step work in Correctional facilities. If you have yet to experience the graditude and humility that comes from this kind of service work, we encourage you to volunteer at one of your local facilities through your district’s Corrections and/or Treatment chairs.

Respectfully Yours,

Renae H.

Area 69 Corrections Standing Chair