H&I Cooperaton

This page last edited on Sunday, May 23, 2004

PI and H&I Committee Cooperation

Cooperation and flexibility are the keys that will allow H&I subcommittees and PI subcommittees at all levels to keep be informed on what is being done by other subcommittees in their area or region. If When we work together, we can accomplish any task. Unity of purpose is vital to our efforts.

In some geographical areas H&I and PI have started cooperating by sending a liaison from one committee to the meetings of the other committee. This is done on an regular basis to ensure that both committees carry a unified message of recovery. The use of liaisons is also more efficient, preventing duplication of work and improving communication. NA’s public image will be improved when we present a unified image of our fellowship to the community at large.

Some possible ways to cooperate and improve participation are:

* Schedule monthly H&I and PI subcommittee meetings in the some location.
* Schedule some meetings so that both committees meet together.
* Schedule meetings so that each committee meets separately but at the same time.

Some possible benefits of cooperation are:

* Increased interest and participation (on both committees)
* Ability to share different points of view
* Increased communication
* Continuity in project planning
* A more effective service structure

Some specific examples of common benefits are:

* H&I people volunteer to take phoneline shifts
* Members of both committees learn to do presentations together.
* PI and Phoneline volunteers find ways to fit an H&I commitment into their schedule.
* Offers an efficient way for new NA members to learn he or she can best fit into the local service structure.

Any efforts which improve communication and cooperation between the two committees will serve to carry the message more efficiently both to the still suffering addict and to the public who have yet to learn about Narcotics Anonymous.

Some areas and regions have been successful with the following joint efforts:

* Conducting Learning Days.
* Presenting single topic workshops.
* Conducting workshops at conventions.
* Placing NA literature in facilities served by H&I, such as jails and prisons.
* Maintaining a booth at events, such as a community resource fair.
* Maintaining a booth at jails and prisons on visiting days.
* Providing literature and meeting schedule in recovery facilities.
* Supporting joint PI/H&I presentations to parole and probation departments.
* Supporting joint PI/H&I presentations to corrections departments.
* Providing statewide or regional phone lists for facilities served by H&I.

How can PI Enhance H&I Efforts?
PI has the responsibility of creating a greater awareness that H&I is bringing the NA message into an institution. This can be done in a variety of ways.

Through panel presentations to correction officers’ training classes:

* Explain how a NA H&I meeting is conducted.
* Provide samples of our literature.
* Describe how and why we are different from other twelve-step fellowships.

Through panel presentations to the counselors, parole and education:

* Inform them what days or nights NA brings H&I meetings into their institution.
* Explain how a NA H&I meeting is conducted.
* Provide samples of our literature.
* Explain that they may feel free to refer inmates or patients to attend NA H&I meetings.
* Provide meeting schedules and phone lists.

Through presentations to pre-release and other types of inmates or patients:

* Inform them what days or nights NA brings H&I meetings into the institution.
* Describe what is appropriate conduct and sharing in an NA meeting
* Explain what they may get out of attending NA meetings.
* Explain how to find NA when they leave the institution.
* Provide meeting schedules and phone lists.
* Have a plentiful supply of appropriate literature, such as Am I an Addict? Staying Clean on the Outside, Welcome to Narcotics Anonymous, etc.)

PI committees may do presentations to the staff in recovery homes, psychiatric facilities, detoxification centers, homeless shelters and similar facilities which may currently or potentially host H&I meetings. When H&I does not have the resources to support meetings at certain facilities, PI can step in to bring information about NA to the clients:

* Inform the staff what NA does and does not do.
* Explain what the clients may expect in a NA meeting.
* Provide appropriate literature to the staff, such as In Times of Illness, NA, A Resource In Your Community, Welcome to NA, Am I an Addict, Some Facts About NA.
* Describe the difference between NA and other twelve-step programs.

Next: PI and the Phoneline Committee

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