Ethical Guidelines for the Delivery of Peer-based Recovery Support Services

live_free_or_die's picture
Submitted by live_free_or_die on Sun, 05/27/2012 - 09:13

http://www.bhrm.org/recoverysupport/EthicsPaperFinal6-8-07.pdf

Comments

disclosure

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 13:12

The document separates recovery coaching from sponsorship and defines them as separate rolls. In my experience all those who sponsored me and who I sponsored crossed the line from the definition of sponsorship and assumed the role of recovery coach. Additionally, it seems that many of the key rolls and job definitions of the recovery coach, an occupation that can be done as a volunteer or for pay as a counselor, would seem inappropriate as “for pay” roles; specifically the role of friend. I had trouble completing the paper because so many of the issues seem convoluted with AA thinking. To my mind the role of friend is not plausible as a for pay situation. Many of the topics were just plain uncomfortable. I hope this piece stays up at #1 for a while; I am interested more in the comments than the original documents content. I feel the document is very conflicted and dangerous.

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 13:18

AA has a pamphlet about sponsorship and what it is and isn't.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

JR Harris's picture

JR Harris

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 13:36

Alcoholics Anonymous is a cult run by Alcoholics World Services, Inc. (AAWS) at the Interchurch Center in New York and has evolved into the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous, Inc. (GSO/GSB) and the Grapevine, Inc. (GV) which are front companies for it to claim circular logic with no one being in charge. Any information that they produce are merely "Suggestions" and do not reflect the actual structure of the cult, because they all claim that they "do not govern" using various loopholes to avoid prosecution.

Please do not recommend any AAWS, GSO/GSB, GV literature again, because they do not represent the cult collectively known as "AA" and they have no value.

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

disclosure

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 09:48

True Clara, The groups however are autonomous and free to act as they choose provided it does not affect AA as a whole. This autonomy negates much of the original intention of the texts

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:26

I don't think so, Disclosure. It hasn't been my experiences that groups as a whole get involved with sponsor/sponsees too much, even though there are suggestions regarding "steering committes" that should much like what Avo has suggested should be in AA. Turns out there is already a foundation for it and has been since 1976.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

gigi

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:29

What good is a foundation that has been there since 1976 if it was never built up?

"If I forget who I am, I am myself. If I remember who I am, I am you."

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 19:53

Who says it hasn't been? I know many with excellent sponsorship.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

flannigan

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 13:31

Who really cares about what AA has to say about "sponsorship"? What does "sponsorship" have to do with stopping drinking? It makes no sense (and also not mentioned in the text of the "program"- the Big Book). Who wrote that pamphlet and what is their training and expertise in the area of alcohol abuse and recovery? Just wondering.

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:22

Working with an alcoholic is all over the BB, Flannigan. While the word "sponsor" wasn't used, the premise of helping another alcoholic and carrying the message has been there since the beginning.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

gigi

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:26

What should the role of the sponsor be?

"If I forget who I am, I am myself. If I remember who I am, I am you."

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:28

Sorry, Flan. I thought he was asking about it.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 13:35

I think you can download it. It defines the role. I think both sponsees and sponsors can misunderstand the role.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

JR Harris's picture

JR Harris

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 13:49

In AA all you are supposed to do is hold weird chanting rituals in church basements and search out prospects to join the cult.

Please follow your own literature and quit "thinking." Remember, your best thinking got you to the Orange Papers forum, if you are going to stay and "think" you obviously don't belong in the cult collectively known as "AA."

"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.

gigi

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:27

How many people do you think have actually read, or even seen, this pamphlet?

"If I forget who I am, I am myself. If I remember who I am, I am you."

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:36

I would have no idea. The point is that it is available and has been for decades. I know that I read it before my sponsor and I agreed to have that kind of relationship. He gave it to me for that purpose. My husband's sponsor did the same to him, and he was 600 miles away from me. I thought it was regular protocol, not even just group culture.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

Pennywise's picture

Pennywise

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 23:54

This?

http://www.aa.org/pdf/products/p-15_Q&AonSpon.pdf

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

Clara's picture

Clara

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 07:51

Yes, Penny. I was responding from the Guadelupe Mountains in NM/TX and couldn't link it.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

live_free_or_die's picture

live_free_or_die

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 14:57

Do you see anything of value that might be taken from the document?

For instance, I was thinking that Table 1 on page 9 has some good boundaries in the "coaching" process.

Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/

disclosure

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 16:54

Yes, I see quite a bit of value in the concept of table one. I think it is a good foundation but could use some work to eliminate assumptions, loopholes, or interpretation.
Somewhat vague behaviors are addressed using very specific language in regard to the instance of their occurrence. I believe it would be better to generalize the behaviors so that the questions would be posed more in line with the nature of the act instead of a random instance. I think it is positive to reinforce the occurrence with the specific example as long as it is understood in the text that the example does not limit the scope of possible occurrences within that category.

Clara's picture

Clara

Sun, 05/27/2012 - 18:35

I think you got a different pamphlet. No table on page 9.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

micha

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 06:24

Im sure ill be attacked for this and i really dont care. I have been a lurker here since the begining of this forum. I can no longer tolerate reading the childlike boorish comments and attacks fromthe anti AA fanatics here. It is obvious these children are merely seeking a platform for there own rhetoric. Funny thing is i am also anti AA but i am pro free speech and honest debate. Why not take the lead from Oranges letters and stop all the babylike bickering. Orang doesnt treat his detracters with such disrespect. Anyways i for one will no longer be reading this forum. Ill stick to the letters.

Micah

disclosure

Mon, 05/28/2012 - 09:50

You sound like a valuable contributor.
If you post I will read it and share my opinion.

alkieanon's picture

alkieanon

Wed, 05/30/2012 - 11:08

http://thehealthcareblog.com/blog/2012/04/10/you-get-what-you-pay-for