Whether you are already involved in service, looking for opportunities to serve your Fellowship, or just interested in knowing how your fellowship accomplishes its mission, this section of the website provides a resource that C.A. members may find helpful and informative.
If you have any questions regarding our service structure please review the information outlined in our fellowships ‘World Service Manual’ and other service materials available on this site. You can also contact your local District or Area Service Committee.
A Home Group may be defined as a meeting a member regularly attends. The Home Group provides an opportunity to begin to be of service. Experience shows a Home Group is one of the vital components to continuous sobriety. In a Home Group members can participate in the business meeting and are able to cast their vote as a part of the group conscience. Many groups hold a business meeting monthly or at other intervals to discuss such items as: group finances, distribution of 7th Tradition, meeting format, election of trusted servants, etc. It is suggested that records be kept of group business meeting decisions. Each group is autonomous, and the group conscience decides how business meetings may be conducted.
The GSR position is a very important service position for which a member can be elected. Great care should be taken with this choice; the quality of the District/Area Services and ultimately World Services can only be as good as those choices the individual Groups make. As with the Secretaries, GSR candidates should only accept positions for those Groups that they regularly attend. Regular attendance is to be defined by the groups. They are the ones who will carry the information back to the Group as to what is going on in our Fellowship on a District/ Area level as well as the World level.
It should be understood that a GSR does not require Group approval to vote on matters affecting the Group or C.A. as a whole, although it is the GSR responsibility to vote mindful of the group conscience. (See Concept 3). A good GSR is familiar with the C.A. World Service Manual and the Twelve Concepts of World Services. If the GSR cannot attend, an Alternate should attend. The person elected GSR should be trusted with the Group vote. Before accepting a nomination for GSR, the nominee must consider the level of commitment as well as the sacrifice of time involved.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Sees that the Traditions are followed within the Group.
2. Attends all appropriate business meetings.
3. Conducts communication between the Group, District and Area.
4. Reads/reviews communications from the District, Area and World Service.
The Secretary is a trusted servant whose responsibility is to provide the Group with the leadership best suited to assist the recovery of the members through utilization of the C.A. Program.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. See that the Traditions are being followed within the Group.
2. Follow the format in accordance with the group conscience.
3. See that the responsibilities of the other Group servants are met.
4. See that Seventh Tradition contributions of the members are collected and that a record is kept of the Group’s income and expenses.
5. See that the Group is represented at the District or Area Service Meeting. 6. See that rent for the meeting space is paid and that the Group’s monthly contribution is forwarded to the District, Area and/or World Service Office.
7. Keep an accurate, up-to-date record of changes of the group conscience.
8. Keep a record of each officer’s election date.
9. Display C.A. literature and schedules.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Keeps an accurate bookkeeping system. (See the “Group Treasurer’s Record” form located in the Financial Guidelines for Groups, Districts & Areas of Cocaine Anonymous. Pages 6-8)
2. When applicable, maintains Group bank account(s) with checks requiring two signatures.
3. Gives financial reports to the Group regularly.
4. Pays all Group expenses.
5. Passes on contributions to the District/Area and/or the World Service Office.
6. Collects and documents 7th Tradition money.
7. Collects and documents the H&I money (if H&I cans are passed at that meeting), and passes the H&I money onto the District or Area Treasurer, distinguished as H&I money.
The purpose of the Group PI Liaison is to attend their local PI committee meeting, collect C.A. literature / posters and distribute these locally. The Group PI Liaison is the one who will carry the information between their group and their local PI committee.
Duties and Responsibilities:
1. Familiarize yourself with PI guidelines and C.A.’s 12 traditions.
2. Act as a liaison between your group and your local PI committee.
3. Actively support your group by placing literature / posters in your meeting venue / local area on regular basis.
4. Keep group members informed of upcoming PI activities and opportunities for service.
A District is a geographical unit within an Area containing a number of groups within a close proximity, which find it necessary to unify. A District has the primary function of the unification of its groups by keeping in frequent contact with them, learning their problems and sharing ways to contribute to their growth and well-being. It is suggested that ten (10) or more groups comprise a District and that each ten (10) groups elect a District Service Representative to sit on the Area Service Committee. When districting or re-districting, approval of the groups within each current or proposed District is essential. The proposed districting or re-districting should be approved by the Area Service Committee. As the number of groups within a District increases, the District should either split into two Districts or elect more District Service Representatives from such groups to the Area Service Committee.
A DISTRICT SERVICE COMMITTEE (DSC) is a group made up of the Group Service Representatives from the individual groups in the District, the District Service Representatives and the DSC officers. The DSC meets on a monthly basis to handle the business needs of the District. The DSC may create committees to service such needs as Telephone (Helpline), Public Information, CPC (Cooperation with the Professional Community), Hospitals and Institutions, Literature and Chips, and Special Events.
The most important function is to serve the needs of the local meetings. If a meeting has a situation it cannot handle, it can come to the District Service Committee. The active participation of each GSR is essential for a successful DSC.
Whatever endeavor or extracurricular activity is taken on by the District, they should at all times try to use or take advantage of Area resources, in order not to duplicate efforts or expenses already incurred by the Area.
Possible Voting Members:
Officers of the DSC, Group Service Representatives, Alternate Group Service Representatives (optional); and other trusted servants.
Voting Procedures: Determined by District:
Voting examples can be found in the WSM WSC Parliamentary Procedure Guidelines.
OFFICERS OF THE DSC
The District should elect officers yearly, which include:
a. Chairperson
b. Vice Chairperson
c. Secretary
d. Treasurer
e. District Service Representatives – one for every ten (10) groups in the District, elected by the groups’ GSR
f. Alternate DSR (optional)
g. Chairpersons of District Service Standing Committees (optional) – elected by the respective standing committees and approved by the DSC
There should be one Group Service Representative (GSR) elected from each group. The DSC officers should be elected from among the active GSR. Upon election, the DSC officers shall no longer serve as GSR. Those groups, which they represented, must elect new GSR.
The District Service Representative (DSR) is the essential link between the groups’ GSR and the Area’s Delegates to the World Service Conference. As a member of the District Service Committee, the DSR is exposed to the group conscience of that District. As a member of the Area Service Committee, the DSR passes on the Group’s tenets to the Area’s Delegates and the Area Service Committee.
Our Area Service Committee Meeting is on the last Sunday of the month. The District Service Committee Meetings take place the week before the area meeting:
Some Districts find it appropriate to elect an Alternate DSR. The Alternate should possess the same qualifications as the DSR.
An Area is usually a geographic unit with defined boundaries. The Conference may also recognize Areas whose boundaries do not fit a geographic description. The primary function of an Area is to serve the common needs of its District(s) and Group(s) and to facilitate unification of the Fellowship. A World Service Delegate comes from an Area.
As new Areas are created or if an established area changes its boundary definition, a “Petition to Become an Area” form must be submitted, and the creation or change must be recognized by the WSC. An area that desires to change its name only (without altering its existing boundaries), must first submit a “Petition to Change Area Name” form. The change must be recognized by the WSC. Any group or District seeking to change Areas must complete a “Petition for a District or Group to Change Areas” form, and the change must be recognized by the WSC. It is suggested that a copy of the Area/District minutes, showing separation has been addressed, be attached to any petition, when possible. For information on petition forms please contact a trustee or the WSO. These petitions may also be obtained online at ca.org.
The Area serves the Fellowship by distributing chips and literature, handling financial contributions of the Fellowship for that Area, and communicating with the C.A. World Service Office. The primary function of the Area is to serve the common needs of its District Members and to facilitate unification. The Area Service Committee should establish a permanent mailing address and bank account. If need arises, the Area should establish an Area Central Office. The Area should also stay in contact with the C.A. World Service Office for purposes of registering/updating its meeting information in the World Directory and communicating information regarding Area functions such as Service Conferences, Conventions, and other special events to promote and ensure unity within the C.A. Fellowship as a whole.
SUGGESTED AREA FUNCTIONS
1. The Area Service Committee is entrusted with local service board incorporation, if required
2. Coordinates Area telephone services.
3. Distributes and/or sells literature and chips.
4. Standing Committees include:
a. Telephone (Helpline)
b. Hospitals and Institutions
c. Public Information
d. Archives
e. Convention
f. Chips and Literature
g. Finance
h. CPC (Cooperation with Professional Community)
i. Special Events
j. Unity
k. Internet
5. Maintains and updates a list of all Area meetings.
6. Maintains ongoing communications with the Districts.
7. Maintains ongoing communication with the World Service Office and WSC.
8. Publishes newsletter (subject to review by Regional Trustee).
9. Publishes and distributes Area Meeting Schedules.
10. Elects Delegates to the World Service Conference.
11. Holds Assemblies and/or monthly Service Meetings.
12. Sponsors service days and workshops.
13. Sponsors Area Conventions.
14. Establishes and administers a Central Office, if appropriate.
15. Maintains a bank account.
AREA MEETINGS
Areas may hold two different types of Area Service Meetings:
1. Monthly Area Service Committee Meetings: These are administrative in nature where reports on day-to-day activities and issues are received, reviewed, and if appropriate, acted upon.
2. Annual, Bi-Annual, or Quarterly Assembly Meetings: Because of time and distance, these types of meetings may be held for these activities:
a. Election of WSC Delegates and Area Officers.
b. Treasurer’s report.
c. Local Convention report.
d. WSC Delegate report.
e. Central Office report, if applicable.
f. Old business/new business.
g. Decision of major importance.
Possible Voting Members:
Area Officers, Committee Chairpersons, District Service Representatives, Group Service Representatives and Alternate GSR, WSC Delegates, Advisory Board/Steering Committee members, and other trusted servants.
Voting Procedures: (Determined by Area)
Voting examples can be found in the WSM WSC Parliamentary Procedure Guidelines.
Area Expenses (may include):
a. Costs for rent and coffee for service meetings
b. Chips and literature inventory
c. Telephone
d. Standing committees (e.g., costs of mailing, copying, etc.)
e. Central office workers
f. Insurance
g. Legal fees, accountant fees, and employee’s salary, or sales tax
h. Postage and supplies
i. Delegate expenses to the WSC, and
j. Bank charges
Area Service Committee Officers:
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson
Secretary
Treasurer
Some Districts find it appropriate to elect an Alternate DSR. The Alternate should possess the same qualifications as the DSR.
