THE WESTERN MASS
AREA 31 ACCESSIBILITIES COMMITTEE

"So that everyone has the same opportunities 
to stay sober and achieve sobriety...
Our aim is to diminish the barriers that prevent anyone from participating in AA as a whole."

If interested in making a difference?  The please attend our monthly business meeting and volunteer to pass the message.

Accessibilities Committee hold their monthly business every 3rd Thursday of the Month at 7pm at The Grace United Church on 474 Pleasant Street in Holyoke, MA. 

AREA 31 ACCESSIBILITIES COMMITTEE

The Area 31 Accessibilities Committee was formed after a 2 two year fact finding study conducted by an Ac Hoc formed to access needs of the Area and determine if a separate Standing Com. would be advantageous to remove the barriers preventing some AA's from receiving the message of hope and recovery. Recognizing conditions that prevent some from partaking in, or accessing the message in the way most of us are able and accustomed to. In Dec 2005. The Area Ad Hoc Completed their study and Reported to the Area Describing the need that existed. Based on that recommendation, the Area formed a new standing Committee, an outreach service arm of the Area 31 named, The Accessibilities Committee.

All of service is part of the 12th Step; to carry the message of hope and recovery from alcoholism to the alcoholic who still suffers. (from the AA Service Manual)

In 1951, Bill Wilson wrote: "AA 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 die." He also stated that there is just one question to answer concerning any given service: “Is this service needed? If it is then maintain it we must, or fail in our mission to those who need and seek AA.”

Therefore the purpose of the Accessibility Committee of Area 31 is to provide information and coordinate services for alcoholics who otherwise would be unable to participate in meetings, groups, or service work. Our aim is to diminish barriers that prevent anyone from participating in AA as a whole.

Area 31 Accessibilities Committee asks all groups that are Handicap Accessible, please take time to print and fill out the Accessibility Committee Survey.

Please copy and paste the survey into a word document. Complete the survey then have your group GSR bring the survey to the district meeting or you can send the completed survey to the following address ...

Western Mass Accessibilities Committee
P.O. Box 6818, Holyoke, MA 01040

Thank You

Area 31 Accessibility Committee Survey

The aim of the Accessibility Committee of Area 31 is to diminish barriers that prevent anyone
from participating in AA as a whole. We do this by providing information and coordinating
services for alcoholics who otherwise would be unable to participate in meetings, groups,
or service work due to the experience of a disability, difficulty accessing AA meeting places,
or the need for special assistance with communication.

This voluntary survey is designed to help groups:
1) Assess handicapped accessibility of meeting places;
2) Provide feedback to Area on accessibility issues and needs;
3) And find out what resources are available in Area 31 to meet these needs.

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Group Name/District: _______________________________________________

Meeting Day and Time: ______________________________________________

Location: ________________________________________________________

GSR or group rep contact name/phone/email: ______________________________

_________________________________________________________________

HANDICAPPED ACCESSIBILITY Please answer the following questions about your
meeting place. (Circle YES or NO) Is the outside of the building handicapped accessible?
(See below)

1) Are there 2 or 3 spots marked by international signs for handicapped? Are the curb cuts 32”
wide? Is the access path at least 36” wide? If steps, are there ramps?
If any, are outdoor entry ramps at an angle of 1 foot by every 12 feet with 6 feet of straight
clearance at the bottom? Are ramp platforms 48” wide and with level platforms every 30 feet?
Are ramp railings sturdy and between 34” and 38” high? YES - NO

Comment __________________________________________________________

2) Is your entry door handicapped accessible? (See below) YES - NO

Is there 32” clearance space in the entry door? Are doors at 15lbs. pressure for fire exits
(those marked with a red “Exit” sign) and 8lbs. pressure for interior doors?
Are door handles 48” high and operable with a closed fist?

Comment____________________________________________________________

3) Are there interior steps? YES - NO If so, are there ramps or an elevator? YES - NO
If an elevator: Is the entry 32” wide? Are elevator controls no more than 54” above the ground?
Are buttons marked in Braille? YES - NO Is the bathroom handicapped accessible?
(See below) YES - NO Does the bathroom comply with the following: Entrance doorway 32”
wide. Stall door swings out. Stall is at least 36” X 60” with 48” from wall to front of stall.
Stall grab bars 1½” diameter and 33” from the floor. Toilet between 17” and 20” high. Sinks 27”
from floor to bottom of apron. Urinals 19” from floor to lip. If separate “male” and “female”
rooms signs are marked in Braille.

Comments______________________________________________________________

COMMUNICATION:

Does your meeting have a language interpreter for members whose first language is not
English? YES - NO

Does your meeting have a need for a language interpreter? YES - NO
Comments: ______________________________________________________________

Does your meeting have an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter? YES - NO
Does your meeting need an ASL interpreter? YES - NO
Does the group have any procedure to arrange for a sign language interpreter? YES - NO Comments: ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________

Does your group have AA literature in: large print? YES - NO : Spanish? YES - NO : Braille? YES - NO Does your group have a literature person or someone able to order appropriate tapes and literature from General Services or Intergroup? YES - NO

AREA RESOURCES Like Bridging the Gap, the information listed below is an Area 31
Accessibility Committee resource which we hope to use as a reference for outreach.
We follow a strict protocol of confidentiality and anyone on the list will be contacted by
committee members only, not directly by those in need of assistance.

Are there group members who are willing to offer a ride to a meeting and assist
A.A. members who are blind or physically handicapped? YES - NO

Contact info:_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________

Are there group members who are willing to take A.A. meetings to alcoholics who are
house- or hospital-bound? YES - NO

Contact info:_____________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________

Is anyone in your group qualified and willing to volunteer services as: - a
Spanish interpreter? YES - NO

Contact info:_____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

an interpreter in another language? (please list) YES - NO
Contact info:_____________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

A certified American Sign Language interpreter? YES - NO

Contact info:____________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________

COMMENTS and other group accessibility issues (feel free to add another sheet):

_______________________________________________________________________

Please return this survey via GSR or group rep to your area meeting. Contact the committee
by email at: area31comm@gmail.com