Do’s and Don’ts for H&I Work in Treatment Facilities
- Do follow the guidance found in the WSC H&I Handbook
- Do Attempt to get the treatment facility agreements in writing
- Do clarify the rules with whomever you bring into the facility
- Do adhere to the security regulations at all times
- Do arrive early to set up meeting
- Do keep the staff informed of your whereabouts
- Do obey the dress code, exercise common sense
Secretaries and speakers
- Do Screen all secretaries
- Do adhere to the clean time requirements of the treatment facility and the H&I committee
- Do ensure that a clear NA message of recovery is carried by all speakers
Literature
- Do make directories of outside meetings available to the residents
- Do Use the literature recommended for H&I work
- Do Stamp all literature with the local phone line number
- Do Provide facilities with literature order forms and encourage the facility to supply its own NA literature
Treatment Facility Meetings
- Do Start and end on time
- Do explain briefly, during the meeting, what H&I is
- Do clearly state that Narcotics Anonymous is separate from the treatment facility and from other fellowships
- Do emphasise that NA recovery is available to all addicts, regardless of drug(s) used
- Do explain the language that we use (addict, clean, recovery, and clean time) and why we use it (the First Step of NA and Sixth Tradition of NA Hospitals & Institutions Handbook. P29)
Residents Meeting Participation
- Do Involve residents with the meeting, especially those in long-term treatment facilities (readings, etc.)
- Do emphasize the importance of getting to an NA meeting the first day out of the treatment facility
- Do Emphasize the importance of a sponsor, regular NA meeting attendance, and group commitments after release
Secretaries and designated members attending facilities
- Don’t bring any contraband items or weapons into the treatment facility
- Don’t Take messages and carry letters in or out of the facility
- Don’t Show favouritism to any resident(s)
- Don’t Bring an NA member who has friends and/or family in the treatment facility
- Don’t wear flashy jewellery and don’t carry excessive cash
- Don’t Use excessive profanity
- Don’t Attend H&I facilities alone.
Facility Guidelines
- Don’t Debate any issue involving the treatment facility’s rules, regulations, programs or other fellowships with residents and staff
- Don’t discuss conditions within the treatment facility
- Don’t discuss treatment staff members with resident(s)
- Don’t discuss resident(s) with the treatment facility staff
- Don’t Sponsor resident(s) in the treatment facility that you are attending as a H&I member
- Don’t Accept money or gifts from, or give money or gifts to, any resident
Meeting Guidelines
- Don’t Give anyone within the facility your address or telephone number
- Don’t Provide anyone with another NA member’s address or telephone number
- Don’t bring in anyone who is not supposed to be there (sponsees, friends or guests)
- Don’t break another person’s anonymity
- Don’t emphasize ‘using days’ while sharing an NA message of recovery
DO’s AND DON’Ts FOR H&I WORK IN PRISON FACILITIES
Do follow the guidance found in the WSC H&I Handbook
The World Service Conference H&I Committee has compiled this list based upon the experiences of subcommittees around the world that have sent input on H&I service matters. They provide some very helpful guidelines, and should help you avoid some of the common pitfalls.
Prison Facility Rules
- Do attempt to get all agreements in writing.
- Do clarify the rules with whomever you bring into the facility.
- Do adhere to the security regulations at all times.
- Do arrive early to satisfy security requirements
- Do keep staff informed of your whereabouts.
- Do obey the dress code, exercise common sense.
Secretaries and Speakers
- Do screen all speakers and chairperson(s)
- Do adhere to clean time requirements of the correctional facility and of the H&I committee.
- Do ensure that a clear NA message of recovery is carried by all members.
- Do choose speakers according to H&I guidelines.
Literature
- Do provide NA literature for prison facility meetings.
- Do make directories of outside meetings available to the inmates.
- Do use NA literature recommended for H&I work and stamp all literature with the local phone line number.
Prison Facility Meetings
- Do start and end on time.
- Do explain briefly in the meeting format what H&I is
- Do clearly state that Narcotics Anonymous is separate from the correctional facility and from other fellowships.
- Do emphasise that NA recovery is available to all addicts regardless of drug(s) used.
- Do explain the language that we use (addict, clean, recovery, and clean time) and why we use it (the First Step of NA, and the Sixth Tradition of NA)
Inmates Meeting Participation
- Do involve inmates with the meeting, especially those in long-term facilities (readings, etc.)
- Do emphasise the importance of attending a Narcotics Anonymous meeting the first day out of the facility.
All Members
- Don’t allow a member who has outstanding warrants to participate in a prison facility meeting.
- Don’t bring any contraband items or weapons into the facility.
- Don’t take messages or carry letters in or out of the correctional facility.
- Don’t show favouritism to any inmates
- Don’t bring an NA member who has friends and/or family in the correctional facility.
- Don’t wear flashy jewellery and don’t carry excessive cash.
- Don’t use excessive profanity
- Don’t attend facilities on behalf of H&I alone.
Facility Guidelines
- Don’t debate any issues involving the prison facility’s rules, regulations, programs, and other fellowships with inmates and staff.
- Don’t discuss conditions within the prison facility.
- Don’t discuss prison facility staff members with inmate(s)
- Don’t discuss inmate(s) with prison facility staff members.
- Don’t sponsor inmate(s) in the prison facility that you are attending as a H&I member.
- Don’t accept money or gifts from, or give money or gifts to any inmate.
Meeting Guidelines
- Don’t give anyone within the prison facility your address or telephone number.
- Don’t provide anyone with another NA member’s address or telephone number.
- Don’t bring in anyone who is not supposed to be there (newcomers, friends, or guests)
- Don’t ask what type of crime an inmate has been convicted of, or discuss guilt or innocence.
- Don’t break another person’s anonymity.
- Don’t emphasise ‘using days’ while sharing an NA message of recovery.
Do’s and Don’ts for H&I Work in Psychiatric Hospitals
Psychiatric hospital Rules
- Do attempt to get all agreements in writing.
- Do clarify the rules with whomever you bring into the unit.
- Do adhere to the security regulations at all times.
- Do arrive early to satisfy security requirements.
- Do keep staff informed of your whereabouts.
- Do obey the dress code, exercise common sense.
Secretaries and speakers
- Do screen all secretaries, speakers, and chairperson(s)
- Do adhere to clean time requirements of the psychiatric hospitals and of the H&I committee.
- Do ensure that a clear NA message of recovery is carried by all members.
- Do choose panel members and speakers according to H&I guidelines.
Literature
- Do provide NA literature for psychiatric hospital meetings.
- Do make directories of outside meetings available to the residents.
- Do use NA recommended literature for H&I work and stamp all literature with local phone line numbers.
Psychiatric hospital Meetings
- Do start and end on time.
- Do clearly state that Narcotics Anonymous is separate from the psychiatric hospital and from other fellowships.
- Do emphasise that NA recovery is available to all addicts regardless of drug(s) used.
Resident Meeting Participation
- Do emphasize the importance of attending a Narcotics Anonymous meeting the first day out of the unit.
All members
- Don’t allow a member who has outstanding warrants to participate in a psychiatric/forensic unit meeting.
- Don’t bring any contraband items or weapons into the unit.
- Don’t take messages and carry letters in or out of the psychiatric/forensic unit.
- Don’t show favouritism to any inmates.
- Don’t bring an NA member who has friends and/or family in the psychiatric/forensic unit.
- Don’t wear flashy jewellery and don’t carry excessive cash.
- Don’t use excessive profanity.
- Don’t attend H&I facilities alone.
Unit Guidelines
- Don’t debate which drugs are acceptable; remember we have no opinion on outside issues.
- Don’t debate any issues involving the psychiatric hospitals rules, regulations, methods, or other fellowships with residents and staff.
- Don’t discuss conditions within the psychiatric unit.
- Don’t discuss psychiatric unit staff members with residents
- Don’t discuss resident(s) with psychiatric staff members.
- Don’t sponsor resident(s) in the psychiatric unit that you are attending as a H&I member.
- Don’t accept money or gifts from, or give money or gifts to any inmate.
Meeting Guidelines
- Don’t read too many literature selections at the beginning of the meeting.
- Keep it short and simple to keep their attention.
- Don’t give anyone within the psychiatric unit your address or telephone number.
- Don’t provide anyone with another NA member’s address or telephone number.
- Don’t bring in anyone who is not supposed to be there (sponsee(s), friends or guests)
- Don’t ask what type of crime a resident has been convicted of, or discuss guilt or innocence.
- Don’t break another person’s anonymity.
- Don’t emphasise ‘using days’ while sharing an NA message of recovery.
Information accurate as of 16/7/2010