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San Francisco Bay Area Intergroup

The San Francisco Bay Area Intergroup of SAA (BAISAA) manages the business of SAA in the San Francisco Bay Area. BAISAA has four primary areas of responsibility:

1. To help SAA groups carry the SAA message to the addict who still suffers.
2. To provide shared and coordinated services and resources to individual members and the member SAA groups, e.g. the website, telephone line, and printed meeting lists.
3. To allow for the effective use of BAISAA funds.
4. To help disseminate information within the local SAA organization and to coordinate outreach and public information for SAA in the San Francisco Bay Area.

There are currently about 50 meetings within the geographic area served by BAISAA. Each group may elect its own Intergroup representative. These members provide input to Intergroup on the matters listed above and relay relevant information back to the groups they represent.

Monthly Intergroup Meeting

BAISAA currently meets the second Saturday of every month from 11:15 AM to 12:45 PM on Zoom. To request access to the meeting, please send an email to info@bayareasaa.org. Any SAA member interested in the business of SAA may attend this meeting. If a matter is put to the group for a vote, these visitors may participate in the discussions, but will not be allowed to participate in the voting process. Sobriety requirements are set by member groups; BAISAA recommends six months of membership in SAA and three months of abstinence from inner circle behaviors.

Committees

BAISAA members participate in committees, where much of the work of Intergroup is done. Such committees include:

• Outreach — Outreach activities include: getting our basic text, Sex Addicts Anonymous, into Bay Area libraries; communication with health care professionals in the Bay Area; speaking engagements to educate others about our work (e.g. the Johns School), and others.
• Website — Maintaining and updating the BAISAA website as a repository of information of interest to the local community and potential new members.
• Telephone — Maintaining a hotline for people to get information about our program.
• Finance — Accounting for fellowship funds.
• Meeting List — Providing updated meeting lists to members, meetings and anyone who requests them.

Anyone may participate in these committees whether an Intergroup rep or not.

A Message from an Intergroup Member

I feel grateful that I can make contributions utilizing skills I don't usually use in my day to day work life. Besides detailed things such as working with the website, I enjoy being creative in using clipart whenever I get the chance. I like making announcements at meetings about what is going on with Intergroup and our program as a whole. I am making new friends, which is perhaps the best part.
 – LJ, 2011

Considerations in Holding “Hybrid” SAA Group Meetings

SAA Group meetings expect a return next year to joining together at churches, hospitals and other meeting rooms. The availability of COVID-19 vaccines may transform this expectation to a reality. Accordingly, Bay Area Intergroup in line with one of its purposes is sharing the outline below on best practices for Groups currently meeting in a Hybrid format. As a reminder, each Group decides based on its “conscience” how to comply with restrictions imposed by city, county and state public health authorities.
Revised December 14, 2020

1. Definitions
a. Full “Hybrid”    i. Zoom/Skype access info (e.g., meeting ID and password) published on web    ii. More susceptible to bombers
b. Mini “Hybrid”    i. Meeting ID and password NOT published on web    ii. Access provided only by Group Secretary (ies)

2. Face to Face (F2f) protocols
a. Social Distancing
b. Face Coverings
c. Distance maintained even when standing
d. F2f Limits per current public health directives
e. Readings typically made by F2f attendees

3. Virtual protocols
a. Mini “Hybrid” intended for high risk (self-determined individually) addicts who have access to text chains (e.g., emails) within Group
b. Overtalking exists during recitation of prayers (possible solutions include posting prayers using Share Screen (Zoom feature) with moving laser)
c. Respect commensurate with solely F2f meetings
d. Virtual attendees may read if access provided ahead of time
e. Generally, F2f Secretary assisted by online facilitator who keeps online access machine (e.g., laptop, I-pad, I-phone depending on Group resourcefulness technology wise) current to meeting agenda (putting up readings, muting and unmuting, accepting addicts in waiting room)

Hybrid Meetings?

Are you holding a successful hybrid meeting (in person and virtual)? If so, Bay Area Intergroup is looking to hear about best practices for this through a panel on how to hold a successful hybrid meeting. Please contact info@bayareasaa.org.

Share your voice and energy on Inclusion and Diversity committee

o At the international level
o Fourth Saturday at 8am PDT
o Contact Bob L (boblisoboard@gmail.com) and/or Chris (chrisf@saa-iso.net)

o At the local level
o Wednesdays at 6pm
Contact Fiona F twelvestepsrule@gmail.com

SAA Podcasts!

The Sex Addicts Recovery Podcast has officially been launched on all major podcasting platforms. To listen to the podcast or find links to your favorite podcast platform, please visit our landing page at our host site https://sarpod.libsyn.com. For more information, please email: jason@sexaddictsrecoverypod.com

Publishing Announcements

Call (415) 456-1063 or send email to info@bayareasaa.org to publish fellowship news and announcements here.