Treatment Facilities Committee
Bridging The Gap
Temporary Contacts and Sponsorship
Experience shows that even though a patient may have been participating in a group or meeting in a treatment facility, there is anxiety about the transition to a regular group on the outside. With the reminder that A.A. has only sobriety to offer, many committees do try to provide some additional personal contact so this transition period can be made easier. In many places, this is referred to as "bridging the gap" between treatment and a home group. The pamphlet "Bridging the Gap" is available from G.S.O.
The contact chairperson or meeting sponsor meets the patient after he or she is discharged from the facility. Since sponsorship is personal, many areas have found it helpful to have patients select their own sponsors once contact with the outside has been made. The initial contacts do not necessarily continue as sponsors, but do serve as a vital link between the facility and the outside A.A. group.