Thur. Sep 1, 2016 Daily Summary Day 2 – Public Information – Opening Report

PUBLIC INFORMATION REPORT

INTRODUCTION AND OPENING COMMENTS:

Last year the PI committee began several projects at conference in hopes to complete them in our off-season: We set forth to update the handbook; produce additional video PSA’s; and seek participation in the new online survey. Not only have we completed those tasks, but we developed additional sub-committees to allow us to be more effective in our efforts to reach the addict who still suffers.

Here are some highlights of our post conference work:

PSAs

We returned to the drawing board with the hope of revamping our previous video PSA

with a simple, yet powerful message of hope and recovery. We believe we have achieved that goal with the recently released video PSAs, and distribution efforts have ensued. It

is our hope that the available PSAs, as well as others in development, will find homes in movie theaters and perhaps, late night television. The radio PSA effort is being broadcast in areas across the country. We have developed relationships with national broadcast companies and need your help to develop your market.

Print Ads

Committee members were invited to sit down with professionals at their Free Publications Convention in San Diego, CA, earlier this year. This meeting set forth the opening of dialog between the parties to discuss having print ads placed in their various free publications that

ultimately reach homes all across the country. The number of homes these ads can potentially reach is in the millions, and we continue to explore the logistics of this endeavor.

Professional Community – NADCP (Drug Court)

The public information committee participated in the NADCP Conference which was

held in Anaheim this year. The professional community has either not heard of Cocaine Anonymous or know very little, which in turn, cause them to hesitate in their referral process. We have launched a follow-up subcommittee and enthusiastically look forward to watching this phenomenon change in future months. Other areas of the professional community include Probation Departments, Behavioral Health Departments and schools.

Surveys

From last year’s survey results, we were able to update our fact file for use in

presentations with the various professional community outlets. We also edited the 2016 survey based on those results. The survey for this year is still open and we encourage anyone who has not had an opportunity to take it as of yet to visit CA.org and expend the approximately two minutes it takes to help the PI committee with the work we’re doing.

We have formed a number of sub—committees as the Public Information

Committee has grown and taken a life of its own.

The new sub-committees formed by the Chair and Vice Chair are as follows:

Survey

Reviews comments from prior year survey and updates information on a yearly basis at

the approval of the committee

Stewards of PI

Chair: Mark N.

This committee will gather all interested PI Area Chairs or other members seeking support with their local efforts in Public Information. The committee will have a monthly conference call as well as their own google group where we can relate experience in communicating with the professional community as well as other PI efforts.

PI Liaison to the European Region

Chair- Stuart J.

This committee is to reflect the PI wants and needs in the European Region. This committee will also have a monthly conference call and a proposed budget for next year. We have learned much from the European region and we look forward to their input, not only oversees, but here in the States.

2017 NADCP

Chair: Richard B.

With PI’s desire for Cocaine Anonymous to continue participation in the NADCP Conference, we have formed a sub-committee to staff and oversee the Cocaine Anonymous booth at the conference in Washington DC next year. They will also gather

vital information from professionals attending the conference to help us reach the addict that still suffers.

PSA’s

Chair- Troy L.

Radio and video PSA’s continued development and distribution.

COMMITTEE INTRODUCTIONS:

John O. – Chair

Darline L. – Vice Chair

Duane M. – Trustee

Morgan T. – CAWSO DAL

Melissa W. – Secretary

Joanna H. – Secretary

Howard J. – Member

Rosetta R. – Member

Mark N. – Member

Calle O. – Member

Troy L. – Member

Beverly M. – Member

Richard B. – Member

Kim B. – Member

Alan S. – Member

David C. – Member

Stuart J. – Member

Sheree H. – Member

Bob O. – Member

Dane T. – Member

John W. – Member

Bill D. – Member

Mark G. – Member

Dan P. – Member

REFERRALS THAT WERE WORKED ON DURING THE YEAR: As this report was prepared, no referrals have been received.

CLOSING COMMENTS:

It is our hope that this report demonstrates the committee’s continued commitment to hard work in our efforts to reach the still sick and suffering, as well as members of the professional community who are unaware of who we are. We are growing by leaps and bounds in the areas we are tackling and continue to need those willing to join us on this very rewarding committee. Our work continues long after conference ends and the commitment to the work that we do in this committee, will more than likely invigorate your 12th step experience of carrying the message.

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Tony D. – Any questions for Public Information?

Jay P. – John O., the professionals in drug court, how did PI Committee become a part of this event? In the past, the WSBT handled this event.

John O. – We made a request to the WSBT Chair that we wanted to be a part of the drug court event. We were very grateful that Public Information had the opportunity to be a part of the National Drug Court.

Melissa W. – We have a SR 14 for Public Information. Public Information has been involved in drug court for the past two years. It is important to form a committee to support this. It is important to have local people support it.

Kevin M. – In regards to the PSAs (Public Service Announcements), Could someone speak to the quality of the PSAs? i.e. High definition, formatted for network needs, etc. John O. – In the past, we have presented PSAs that we had problems with. We have PSAs that are viewable on the internet. We can reformat them for specific network needs. I am not sure in terms of the quality.

Melissa W. – Different TV stations requires different formats.

Rodney D. – In terms of Public Information, can we get this out to the assembly. John O. – We do have a game plan for this.

Melissa W. – The sub-committee was just formed. We want to have a conference call before we leave the Conference with the sub-committee chairs. Our goal is to have some clarity of what we are doing before the end of Conference.

Rose J. – Wow, I just want to say that the videos were beautiful. Would Drug Court be a part of Cooperation with the Professional Community?

John O. – Yes, it would be. Right now, we are wearing many hats. Drug Court is really attractive for Public Information. It is very rewarding to reach out to the addict that still suffers.

Stu E. – John O., I have a question for you. I have a small service committee in C.A. in Las Vegas. A few years ago, I asked the Conference can we put a pamphlet together to help others work with Public Information in their areas. Maybe we can put it in pamphlet form.

John O. – In the back of the revised Public Information handbook, it does breakdown this information for you. We will be happy to discuss what worked for us in our area. We

have worked with Andy in Canada. He is wearing many hats in Canada, but he is working on Public Information.

Melissa W. – Stu E., the Public Information Committee is designed for what you are talking about. We discuss how we can get PSAs out to your area. With this sub- committee, any delegate in any area can be involved in the conference call. Get with us before you leave the conference and we will add your name to the conference call.

Russell S. – Fantastic video. I like the work that you are doing. Quote from BB. When I saw the PSA, I saw the message that you were trying to get across. I think it is remarkable the work you are doing. About the survey – Did you mention that you had 800 people who participated in the survey?

John O. – The survey will end December 31, 2016. Last year, we ended with 200 participants. It is difficult to get representation from around the world. I think now we do have good representation from the survey.

Melissa W. – The way the survey is set up, you can only take it once per IP address. We can help you in your area to set it up so that multiple members can take the survey using the same machine.

John O. – Maybe you can put the survey in your closing report.

Sara T. – Thank you for your Public Service Announcement. I loved your video and Public Service Announcement. What I found discerning was you referred to other fellowships i.e. N.A. and A.A. in the video.

Melissa W. – Those comments were from the survey and are part of our PowerPoint presentation only. They are not a part of the official Public Service Announcement.

Tom P. – I love C.A. I am absolutely moved that we are doing the Public Service Announcements. I was looking at the C.A. website and I found it hard to find Public Information. It is really important that our fellowship participate in Public Information. What I would like to see, the office take a lead and participate more in Public

Information. There are not a lot of bodies carrying this information back. The only reason we are here is to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. I believe that the Public Information resources need to be more readily available.

Tony D. – Thank you to the committee. Please do not introduce all your committee members during your report.