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This article was written for the PI News in 1996 by a
member of the former WSC PI Committee (Jack A) and a member of
the former WSC H&I Committee (Jacque B).
H&I and Public Information Cooperation
The myth is dead. Public information and Hospitals &
Institutions are not on opposite sides. We're on the same team.
The purpose of the PI Committee is to further the primary
purpose of the Fellowship of NA by informing the public, and the
fellowship, about Narcotics Anonymous. The purpose of H&I is to
carry the NA message of recovery to addicts who do not have full
access to regular Narcotics Anonymous meetings. H&I
presentations, except for those in longer term facilities, are
intended to simply introduce those attending to some of the
basics of the NA program.
By definition, it is apparent, these committee’s perform
specific vital duties to our fellowship to further our primary
purpose. All efforts need to be jointly coordinated. When a
phone call is received by one of our hotline/helplines
requesting information about Narcotics Anonymous, PI and H&I
need to come together for a presentation to the persons
requesting the information. PI informs those persons of what NA
is; H&I determines if the facility is in need of a panel
presentation. This joint effort allows the interested parties to
get a full picture of who we are, and what we are all about.
In some instances the need for a combined presentation arises
out of a situation occurring in a facility where an established
H&I meeting/presentation already exists. Staff turnover would be
one of these situations. The new staff may have expectations
that H&I cannot fulfill, and it becomes necessary to inform the
facility, one more time, who we are and what we do. Sometimes,
(unfortunately) another combined effort must occur to defuse a
crisis situation. These are just a couple of situations where PI
and H&I cooperation is vital. We are still in a learning process
and more will be revealed.
Careful planning of our presentations at learning days,
workshops, and conventions is vital. We need to choose meeting
times that don't conflict with each other. Members should not
have to choose whether they want to attend PI or H&I. If our
efforts are to be unified we need to have the opportunity to
learn from one another.
It is our experience that through our combined efforts the
Narcotics Anonymous message of recovery is being received in
places we were never before able to reach.
Jacque B
Jack A
Southern California Region
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