Alcoholics Anonymous Resources for the
Professional
For All Professionals in the Contra Costa County California Area
Why You Are Here (Probably)
If you are reading this, then it is likely that you are a member of the professional community dealing with people who may have a drinking problem. Perhaps you are a doctor, attorney or hospital administrator. Perhaps you are an employer attempting to deal with alcoholism in your workplace: you know that your staffer can do excellent work, but something is going very wrong. You do not want to terminate them; you want them to do their job well again.
Can you consider recommending AA to your clients or employees?
Who We Are
The Cooperation with the Professional Community (CPC) committee is comprised of volunteer members of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in Contra Costa County. We are recovered alcoholics who consider ourselves to be members of the professional community: nurses, engineers, lawyers, tech workers, teachers and more.
Why We Are Here
We are here to provide information to professionals such as yourself who deal with alcoholism in your profession, to understand better Alcoholics Anonymous and its program of recovery.
It is our understanding that, from time to time, professionals such as yourself may decline to recommend that your clients attend AA meetings because of a misunderstanding of our program. We hear stories of how judges will choose not to recommend AA to DUI offenders thinking that AA is religious.
Certainly, professionals involved with the wreckage of alcoholism, be it medical, legal, or financial, will recommend to their clients what they think is best for them. We hope, by clearing up common misconceptions, that you will consider AA to be among the options available.
Note that many treatment facilities, including the Center for Recovery (Concord CA), include AA meetings as part of their program. Kaiser Permanente lists AA as first among Community Resources for alcoholism.
What We Can Do
At your request, we would be happy to:
Meet with you to discuss AA and its program.
Make a presentation to your group about AA.
Provide literature about our program to you, and if you wish, for your clients.
Accompany you to observe an A.A. meeting
What You Can Do
Read the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) below. These explain what AA is, and what it is not.
Consider AA as an option for your clients who may need it.
Contact us for further information or literature.
FAQs
What is AA?
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship in which alcoholics help each other get sober and stay sober. We are open to anyone who wants help.
Does AA provide medical services or psychological counseling?
It does not. Many treatment facilities that provide medical and psychological services for alcoholism also include AA meetings, but such services are provided by that facility, not by AA.
Can anyone just walk into an AA meeting?
Yes. We ask (but do not require) that first-timers identify themselves (by their first name only) so that we can welcome them and help them get acquainted with AA if they wish.
Is AA a religious organization?
It is not. Although most of the founding members were devout Christians and these beliefs are reflected in AA literature and most meeting formats, no one seeking help is required to hold or adopt a specific belief or set of beliefs. Agnostics and atheists are among the sober members of AA.
Members of AA state that ours is a “spiritual” organization, not a religious one; however, “spirituality” is not a requirement. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking; AA does not require that we believe anything.
Is AA a cult?
AA is not a cult. Members are free to join or leave at their discretion.
Are meetings held now, during the Covid pandemic?
Yes. A few locations continue to hold in-person meetings. Most of those meetings practice social distancing and require face coverings. Here are the in-person meetings in Contra Costa County.
Many meetings have gone on-line, mostly using Zoom. Here are the on-line meetings in Contra Costa County.
What political views does AA support?
AA has no political views; it neither endorses nor opposes any causes; it is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution.
Who funds AA?
AA is self-supporting through members’ contributions. We do not, and will not, accept public funds (taxes) or financial support from any outside organization.
How many members does AA have?
This is difficult to know. AA is a disperse organization comprised of, first, autonomous meetings most of which do not keep records of attendance.
In the US, it is estimated that AA has over one million members.
In Contra Costa County, prior to the Covid pandemic, over 250 meetings were held weekly.
What are the "12 Steps"
in 1939, the founders of AA (including Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith) wrote the founding document of AA: Alcoholics Anonymous (known by members as "The Big Book"). This book included the path to recovery as experienced by many of the founders, formalized into 12 steps.
