As a result, Alcoholics Anonymous has had 69 years of trial-and-error experience, face-to-face, with literally more than a million alcoholics. This mass of intensive firsthand experience with all kinds of problem drinkers, in all phases of both illness and recovery, is unparalleled as far as we know.

AA is glad to share it freely with any professional person or any alcoholic who wants it.

Services that our "committee for co-operation with the professional community" (CPC committee) offers include:

1. Getting an AA member immediately to talk to any problem drinker (willing to listen), to take the patient or client to AA meetings, and to answer questions. Any interested person can attend an open AA meeting. Closed meetings are for alcoholics only.
2. Providing the same sort of A.A. "sponsorship" promptly for the alcoholic upon release from correctional or treatment facilities.
3. Giving information about where and when local A.A. groups meet.
   
4. Arranging, upon request, to conduct A.A. meetings within Institutional / Correctional / Treatment facilities, or nearly anywhere.
5. Furnishing A.A. guest speakers for interested organizations, and co-operating with writers and communications media desiring information.

Because A.A. meetings are held every day and night of the week, A.A. groups offer continuing supportive contact to help the alcoholic maintain recovery. And in addition to offering almost unlimited time to the alcoholic, A.A. offices and groups can make available a wide variety of A.A. conference approved publications.

By far the best way to refer an alcoholic to A.A. is to take him or her to an A.A. meeting. Establishing direct telephone contact between the alcoholic and A.A. while the client or patient is with you is also effective. Some professionals who regularly make use of A.A. services began by getting to know A.A. members personally and by attending open A.A. meetings.