Santa Cruz AA H&I

Santa Cruz County Area 73 H&I

As members of A.A., we can further our Twelve-Step work and continue forward on our Spiritual Path. It’s also a great time to focus on the Three Legacies of A.A. Being of service in our area’s Hospitals and Institutions Committee work is one way of doing so – One Day at a Time.

“Our Twelfth Step – carrying the message – is the basic service that A.A.’s fellowship gives; this is our principal aim and the main reason for our existence. Therefore A.A. is more than a set of principles; it is a Society of alcoholics in action. We must carry the message, else we ourselves can wither and those who haven’t been given the truth will die.” Bill W. The Language of the Heart 

If you are not already involved, please consider how you can be of service to H&I:

*Being an H&I Representative at your home meeting – All of our local A.A. meetings are encouraged to have a representative attend our monthly meeting to voice their groups’ conscience and make announcements when necessary.

*Being a Facility Coordinator and/or a Meeting Secretary- We try to average 33 inside meetings weekly.

*Volunteering to be an Inside Visiting Sponsor at Salinas Valley State Prison.

If you have any questions or are interested in being of service, please fill out the volunteer questionnaire below (santacruzcountyhi@gmail.com) and attend our next H&I Committee meeting this month (info also below).

Santa Cruz AA H&I Committee Meeting

The Santa Cruz AA H&I Committee holds a monthly business meeting on the 4th Wednesday of each month in the Youth Room at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 420 Melrose Ave in Santa Cruz. The meeting begins promptly at 7:00 PM. The room opens at 6:45 for early fellowship and any H & I questions you might have. We hope to see you there, as all AA members are welcome to attend.

A brief explanation of H&I and our history:

The purpose of the Northern California Hospital and Institution Committee is to carry the message of Alcoholics Anonymous to the alcoholic who is confined. The activities of this committee are governed by the Twelve Traditions and based on the spiritual principles embodied within the Twelve Concepts of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The initial spark of hospital work was set in motion on June 13th, 1935 when Bill W. and Dr. Bob (only three days sober at the time) made their first visit to a hospitalized alcoholic and thus found Bil D., the third member of A.A.

Word of A.A.’s success had spread and by 1942 San Quentin Prison Warden Clinton Duffy, recognizing that many of the inmates were incarcerated for reasons related to alcoholism, and concerned about the high recidivism among alcoholics, realized the potential for A.A. to carry the message “behind the walls”. The visionary Warden Duffy contacted an A.A. member from the San Francisco Groups, who along with an inmate named Ricardo, in 1942 conducted one of the first known correctional institution meetings of A.A., reportedly with twenty members in attendance. With regular meetings in San Quentin the parole figures suddenly dropped from the usual return rate of 80% to a remarkable 20% and held that way.

Today the Northern California Hospitals and Institutions Committee is one of the oldest and largest service committees of Alcoholics Anonymous!

We strongly believe in and try to practice the following Declaration of the 30th Anniversary International Convention.

I am responsible…

When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help,

I want the hand of A.A. always to be there.

And for that: I am responsible.

Announcing

Inside Visiting Sponsorship Service (IVSS) at Salinas Valley State Prison

Providing one-on-one in-person sponsorship to A.A. members confined to California State Prisons.

WHAT WE DO: A special group of A.A. volunteers goes into Salinas Valley State Prison individually as VISITORS to provide one-on-one in-person sponsorship to A.A. members confined to California State Prisons. For more information visit the IVSS program page.

Volunteers are currently needed!

Treatment Facilities:

Santa Cruz Residential – Needs Coordinator & Secretary for 2nd Thursday @7:30 PM, male or female, 6 months sobriety, working the steps with a sponsor.

El Dorado – Needs Secretary for 1st & 3rd Thursday @7:00 PM, male or female, 6 months sobriety, working the steps with a sponsor.

Si Se Puede – Needs Coordinator & Secretaries for 4th Friday @7:00 PM, male or female, 6 months sobriety, working the steps with a sponsor. (Spanish speaking/bilingual preferred)

Wheelock Residential – Needs a Secretary for the 1st Saturday, 2nd Saturday, 3rd Saturday @10:30 AM, male or female, 6 months sobriety, working the steps with a sponsor.

Santa Cruz Psychiatric Facility – Needs Secretaries for 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th Thursday @6:30 PM, male or female, 6 months sobriety, working the steps with a sponsor. (will need to go through clearance)

Correctional Facilities:

Salinas Valley State Prison – Needs Visiting Sponsors. Male, 5 years sobriety. 

Water Street Jail/Women – Needs Secretaries.  Female, 1 years sobriety.

Water Street Jail/Men – Needs Secretaries.  Male, 1 year sobriety.  

Rountree Facilities/ Men – Needs Secretaries – Male, 1 year sobriety.

Blaine Street/ Women – Needs Secretaries – Female, 1 year sobriety.

Juvenile Hall – Needs Secretaries – Male or Female, 1 year sobriety.

If you are interested in volunteering to help carry the message into jails and institutions, there are many openings in jails and other facilities. Please see HERE for more details.

If you are interested in any of the above service positions please email: santacruzcountyhi@gmail.com or complete the H&I Volunteer Interest form. 

Annual H&I Conference – A State Of Love And Service


                                                                                                      

Website last updated on 3/19/2024