Veterans Bridging the Gap Program for the VA Long Beach Healthcare System

The Mid Southern California Area (MSCA) 09 is comprised of 24 Districts. 10 of the 24 districts encompass the areas that are in the VA Long Beach Healthcare System and are served by 5 Central Offices located in parts of Orange and Los Angeles Counties.

The VETERANS PROGRAM is working in concert with Districts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 15 and 18.

The primary focus of the VETERANS PROGRAM is to assist the veteran that is ready to move on from an inpatient or outpatient program and wants to experience A.A. meetings with the help of a Temporary Contact.

Whether the veteran enlisted or was drafted into service, we must remember that they were there for us. Now is our opportunity to be there for them.

A.A. members with at least 6 months continuous sobriety can volunteer to be a Temporary Contact. This is what 12 Step Work is all about.

The History of Area 9 Bridging the Gap

The Area 9 Treatment Committee was formed to improve the relationship between A.A. groups and treatment facilities to help bridge the gap from a facility to an A.A. group. Area 9 includes all of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, most of Orange County and parts of Los Angeles County. It is one of the largest Area’s in the A.A. service spectrum.

The Treatment Committee Guidelines are suggestions. There is no “A.A. law.” We should never let blind adherence to procedure override the true voice of a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience.

The guidelines are meant to act in harmony with the combined collective experience of A.A. as found in the A.A. Treatment Committee Workbook and various other service documents available from the A.A. General Service Office. If a conflict is found, it is suggested that the literature from General Service Office be deferred to.

The Area 9 Treatment Committee meets monthly at the Area ASC’s and Assemblies. Your group GSR should be able to connect those interested with their local district representatives.

Our purpose is to extend a hand, in the spirit of our Twelve Steps of Recovery, to assist the newcomer to find the same help in staying sober that we ourselves found. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.