Table of Contents (Click on Section to Reach It)
	Alateen Cooperation Member Help Resources	Al-Anon Do Not Pamphlets Self-Supporting	Anonymity Information Referrals

Information for Professionals

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Al-Anon Family Groups, which includes Alateen, has been in existence for 50 years as a community resource providing support to those affected by someone else's drinking. Today, there are over 24,000 Al-Anon and 1,800 Alateen groups meeting in 131 countries. Our meetings are anonymous and confidential. There are no dues or fees for membership.

Forty percent of Al-Anon members report that a professional influenced their decision to attend their first Al-Anon meeting. Al-Anon and Alateen meetings are compatible with all types of counseling and medical treatment.

Resources for Professionals

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Al-Anon Family Groups has a long history of cooperation with professionals who work with families and friends of alcoholics.

Doctors, nurses, counselors, therapists, social workers, attorneys, judicial, law enforcement, employee assistance and human resources personnel are just a few of the professions that find their patients/clients can benefit from Al-Anon/Alateen.

The following pamphlets are helpful to specific professions:

• Help for Employees Troubled by Someone Else's Drinking ~ Information for Human Resources and Employee Assistance Professionals (S-63c, PDF, 63 KB)
• Alcoholics, their Families, and the Judicial System (S-65, PDF, 58 KB)

The following pamphlets may be duplicated and given to clients or their families:

• What Happens after Treatment? ~ Sobriety is a beginning (P-81ES, PDF, 94 KB)
• Living in a Shelter ~ When someone else's drinking is part of the problem (P-82ES, PDF, 98 KB)
• Doubting your Sanity? (P-89ES, PDF, 96 KB)

We have made available, as downloadable PDF files, several pamphlets that may assist you in making referrals to Al-Anon/Alateen family group meetings.

• Fact Sheet for Professionals ~ Information about Al-Anon and Alateen (S-37ES, English and Spanish) (PDF, 130 KB)
• Information for Professionals (Web Page)

For basic information about Al-Anon and Alateen, how we cooperate with professionals in the US and Canada, and more pamphlets for professionals, visit Headquarter's Fact Sheet and Resources.

Al-Anon:

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~   Has only one requirement for membership -- each member has been affected by someone else's drinking. ~   Is an anonymous fellowship of relatives and friends of alcoholics who meet to share their experience, strength and hope in order to solve their common problems; adult children of alcoholics, parents, partners, spouses, co-workers, etc., can all find help in Al-Anon. ~   Is a separate fellowship from Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). Al-Anon is based on the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions adapted from AA. ~   Is nonprofessional, self-supporting, nondenominational, multiracial, apolitical, and is available almost everywhere.

Alateen:

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~   Is part of the Al-Anon Fellowship designed for the younger relatives and friends of alcoholics through the teen years. ~   Members conduct their own meetings with the guidance of an Al-Anon member Sponsor. ~   Follows the same Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions and principles as Al-Anon.

People Are Referred to Al-Anon/Alateen Group Meetings:

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    •   To learn the facts about alcoholism as an illness and how it has impacted their lives physically and emotionally.
    •   To benefit from contact with others who have similar problems.
    •   To improve their own attitudes and behaviors through the study and practice of the Twelve steps and Twelve Traditions.

Al-Anon and Alateen Members are Helped When They:

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~   Attend meetings on a regular basis. ~   Make telephone contact with other members. ~   Read Al-Anon/Alateen literature. ~   Have a personal Sponsor. ~   Apply the Twelve Steps of recovery to their lives. ~   Become involved in Al-Anon service work.

Al-Anon/Alateen Groups Do Not:

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    •   Give advice.
    •   Indulge in gossip or criticism.
    •   Discuss members' religious beliefs, or lack of them.
    •   Endorse or oppose any cause, therapy or treatment.

Al-Anon/Alateen is Self-Supporting:

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~   Through the voluntary contributions of members; there are no dues or fees for membership. ~   And does not accept any outside fund, grants or donations.

Al-Anon/Alateen is Anonymous:

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~   The identity of all Al-Anon and Alateen members, as well as members of Alcoholics Anonymous, is protected. ~   Confidentiality is allowed to develop from a sense of trust and honesty. ~   The focus is on spiritual principles, not personalities, which leads to a fellowship of equals.

Al-Anon / Alateen Cooperates with Professionals by Providing:

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    •   Open meetings (District 24 NCWSA "Open Meetings")
    •   Local Meeting schedules
    •   Meetings at schools, institutions and other facilites
    •   Speakers and literature for conferences, workshops, and meetings
    •   A Free Packet of literature - call U.S. 888/4AL-ANON, or send e-mail
    •   Visit the AFG, Inc. at www.al-anon.alateen.org

Pamphlets for Professionals

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• Fact Sheet for Professionals ~ Information about Al-Anon and Alateen(S-37ES, English and Spanish) (PDF, 130 KB)
• An Open Letter to Spiritual Leaders (OS-1, PDF, 7 KB)
• An Open Letter to Doctors (OD-2, PDF, 7 KB)
• An Open Letter to a Lawyer (OL-3, PDF, 7 KB)
• An Open Letter to the Police (OP-4, PDF, 7 KB)
• An Open Letter to My Teacher (OT-5, PDF, 8 KB)
• An Open Letter to the Human Services Professional (OH-6, PDF, 7 KB)