Due to recent emergency measures, it’s safe to assume many meetings are not gathering in person and may have gone to an online meeting format. We suggest you visit the World Service Website for ACA at adultchildren.org, search for the meeting you are interested in attending, and reach out to the listed meeting contact to find out the status of that individual meeting.

As everyone is making significant changes to their day-to-day routines as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and in efforts to keep themselves and those around them healthy and safe, we understand that people look to organizations they trust for guidance. At Saturday morning’s MN ACA Intergroup meeting, those in attendance discussed how best to approach this situation and what we feel is appropriate to share.

At the forefront of the ideas shared below is Tradition Four, which states that each group is autonomous; the suggestions are meant to help each group understand what options they have available should they choose to temporarily suspend meetings or wish to change their meeting format to avoid contact. Ultimately, each ACA meeting must decide through group conscience the best ways to adapt (or not adapt) meetings for them.
The following are some alternatives we have learned from members who have shared their experience, strength, and hope on the topic:

• Teleconferencing with Your Group
  There are many tools that accomplish this goal. A popular one is Zoom (website here, and how-to/help section here). This tool has a mobile app, so a data connection and your phone’s camera may be used in lieu of a laptop with a webcam and internet connection. Another option is freeconferencecall.com (website here, and how-to/help section here).
• Online Meetings via ACA WSO
  There are currently 66 online meetings listed. These can be found here: https://adultchildren.org/quick-search/?onlinebt=Click+Here
  Instructions for how to attend online meetings are found in the meeting details and vary by meeting.
• Telephone Meetings via ACA WSO
  There are currently 145 telephone meetings listed. These can be found here: https://adultchildren.org/quick-search/?telephonebt=Click+Here
  Instructions for how to attend telephone meetings are found in the meeting details and vary by meeting.
• In-Person Meetings with Social Distancing and Limited/No Contact
  According to University of Chicago Medical Center, people should maintain at least 6 feet of distance to avoid exposure (source). However, if your group chooses to have contact, touching elbows is a safer alternative to holding hands.

Please refer to official organizations such as the CDC, the WHO, and the MN Department of Health for further guidance regarding COVID-19 and what you can do to help keep yourself and others safe.
We also want to acknowledge the challenges and feelings ACA members will likely experience in the face of a global crisis such as this. We encourage everyone to continue to reach out often to others – fellow travelers, friends, family (as is safe), and others we care about – via phone, text, and email.

We are in this together, and we will get through it together. 

ACA World Service’s statement on COVID-19 https://adultchildren.org/covid-19/