Writing Steps for Recovery

Get Involved With WSR

OUR PURPOSE IS TO PROVIDE WRITTEN GUIDANCE THROUGH THE STEPS OF NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS TO ANY INCARCERATED ADDICT DESIRING RECOVERY WHO IS UNABLE TO FIND REGULAR, OPEN SPONSORSHIP BEFORE RELEASE FROM PRISON.

Writing Steps for Recovery meets on the 2nd Monday of the month at 7:00 pm on Zoom.

The meeting Zoom link for WSR is:  https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88990900869?pwd=VDQ5YkwvVVlUR09va2YxL2VnSnlrUT09

Zoom Meeting ID: 889 9090 0869 – Passcode: 061985

There are commitments available with a 1-year clean time requirement (see policy below).

Writing Steps for Recovery
P.O. Box 1541
Middletown, CT. 06457-1541

“We Can Only Keep What We Have by Giving it Away”

For more information contact a WSR Committee member by e-mail! wsr@ctna.org

Download the WSR Flyer

A Short History

In June 1993 the following letter to Connecticut Region NA was received from an addict serving time in a state prison requesting help in finding a sponsor:

My name is C_____.

I’m currently a resident of _____ Correctional Institution. I’ve been involved in (their) Drug and Alcohol program for 2 months now. It is a 6-month program. I’m looking for a sponsor. I really need one. I’m serious about my recovery. If you could help me, which I hope you could, please write back to me. I really appreciate it.

Thank you very much.”

This letter was passed on to the Connecticut Regional Hospitals & Institutions (H&I) Committee and read at its July meeting. It was apparent to all that we didn’t have a place in our service structure to help incarcerated addicts in this situation, and most of us were aware that this letter was one of many received over the years. Our H&I World guidelines tell us that sponsorship is not a function of an H&I presentation panel, and since many incarcerated addicts have no opportunity to meet any other recovering addicts until they are released, an ad hoc work committee within the Connecticut Regional H&I Committee was formed and met for a year to propose an answer within our service structure.

The Connecticut Regional H&I Committee, and then, through the usual group conscience process, the Connecticut Region approved the policy with few changes. At first, this new subcommittee was called “Sponsorship Behind the Walls” and started functioning as a subcommittee of the Connecticut Regional H&I Committee in the fall of 1994. Letters from incarcerated addicts have been coming in at 5 to 15 per month ever since.

The committee name changed in accordance with input from WSO Board of Trustees in December, 1995. They pointed out that since we used pen names, and were offering step direction through NA service that this was not traditional sponsorship as we who are free to go to regular meetings know it. We, and the groups in our region agreed, and the name was changed to “Writing Steps for Recovery.” Also, at that time, the “Writing Steps for Recovery” became a standing subcommittee of the Connecticut Region, rather than a subcommittee of the Regional H&I Committee because the work of “Writing Steps for Recovery” is quite different from that of bringing presentations into institutions. These two changes were approved by the groups represented at Connecticut Regional Service Committee of Narcotics Anonymous through group conscience.

During the past couple of years, we’ve had about 25 to 30 inmate “Step Writers” writing at any given time. Each “Step Writer” is assigned a personal, anonymous “Step Guide.” Before assigning a “Step Guide” to a “Step Writer”, the first letter may be read anonymously to the committee. All future correspondences are confidential between the “Step Writer” and their “Step Guide.”

Again, it is the closest thing to written sponsorship we can offer within our guidelines and traditions, and it seems to be working very well.

Policy and Guidelines

I. Dedication and purpose.

The primary purpose of this committee is to provide written Narcotics Anonymous step guidance to any incarcerated addict desiring recovery within Narcotics Anonymous.

II. Guidelines for function
  1. All letters are sent via the NA WSR PO Box with no personal last names, addresses, or phone numbers of step guides, committee members, or anyone else given to step writers. Step guides use pen names. Correspondence Only agreements with these signatures are filed with the WSR committee and the inmate step writer’s facility.
  2. Step guides from the WSR Committee have an individual addict assigned in the order that the step guides have qualified and that addicts of the same sex become available. The step guides agree to have no prior knowledge of their assigned inmate step writer, and to respect the confidentiality of their assigned addict.They also agree to correspond through the WSR PO Box only.
  3. After the initial letter is read (anonymously) by a committee member, all correspondence between step guide and step writer is confidential.
  4. All incoming and outgoing letters are logged by date with name, facility, and DOC identification number of the inmate step writer, and name, pen name, and phone number of the step guide by the Men’s or Women’s coordinating secretary in an worksheet kept on Google Drive.
  5. No arrangements for rides, visits, loans, phone calls, materials for corresponding, photos, books*, drawings, tapes, contacting family members or friends will be made between step guide and step writer. *The step writer will receive The Introductory Guide to Narcotics Anonymous when the welcome letter is sent.
  6. The 12 Traditions of Narcotics Anonymous will be strictly upheld.
  7. All rules and regulations of the institution will be strictly upheld.
  8. Only women write to women, and only men write to men.
  9. At H&I meetings at DOC facilities, information on WSR services can be provided and business cards and/or flyers can be provided upon request to the addicts behind the walls.
  10. WSR Business Cards and/or flyers will also be available for the prison addictions and volunteer services staff so that inmates who are unable to attend the H&I presentations can have equal access to WSR.
  11. Presentations to the fellowship and to facilities will include the WSR statement of dedication and purpose, as well as these guidelines for function.
III. Voting Policy

NA members present at WSR Committee meetings have a vote.

IV. How to Become A WSR Step Guide

Addicts who qualify can be oriented as a CT DOC volunteer either at the monthly WSR committee meeting or in the presence of a qualified WSR committee member. They must discuss and be able to answer affirmatively all of the following questions. Step guides will be assigned an inmate step writer in the order that they have qualified, and that addicts of the same sex become available. The Men’s or Women’s coordinating secretary will notify the new step guide when their “turn” comes up.

  1. Is your recovery based in Narcotics Anonymous?
  2. Have you done a 4th and 5th step?
  3. Do you work the steps in writing with an NA sponsor?
  4. Do you have at least 2 years clean time?
  5. Do you attend NA step meetings regularly?
  6. Do you have a working knowledge of the 12 steps and 12 traditions of NA?
  7. Do you have experience as an NA sponsor?
  8. Do you have the means to provide stationery and stamps for regular correspondence?
  9. Do you have the willingness and availability to reply to any letter you receive within 2 weeks, and to notify the coordinating secretary each time?
  10. Are you willing to sign and follow the NA WSR Correspondence Only agreement?
  11. Are you willing to attend at least one WSR Committee meeting or one WSR workshop per year?
V. Clean time Guidelines
  1. WSR step guide – 2 years
  2. Chair – 2 years
  3. Vice Chair – 2 years
  4. Men’s or Women’s Coordinating Secretary – 2 years
  5. Recording Secretary – 1 year
  6. Postal Facilitator – 2 years
  7. Out Of State Correspondent –1 year
  8. Committee member – one day
VI. Responsibilities of Trusted Servants

Chair:

  1. Minimum cleantime requirement is 2 years.
  2. Keeps order in the meeting.
  3. Keeps discussion on the topic.
  4. Prepares an agenda for each meeting.
  5. Ensures that the Traditions are upheld in all matters.
  6. Maintains a link of communication between the WSR and CT Regional NA Service Committee, including giving a monthly report at that meeting.
  7. Attends each meeting of CT Regional Service Committee.
  8. Keeps accurate record of funds received and spent and create yearly budget for submission to Connecticut Region.
  9. Obtains check from CTRSC for the renewal of the PO Box # 1541.
  10. Makes sure committee has a monthly meeting place or Zoom format (which is provided by Connecticut Region).
  11. Maintains an ongoing file of all WSR minutes.

Vice Chair:

  1. Minimum cleantime is 2 years.
  2. Helps chairperson keep monthly meeting proceedings orderly.
  3. Acts as chairperson in the case of chairperson’s absence. Fills in for any other trusted servant position as necessary
  4. If the office of chairperson becomes vacant, serves as chair until confirmed by the CT Region Service Committee or until a new chair is elected.
  5. Attends all WSR meetings

Men’s or Women’s Coordinating Secretary:

  1. Minimum cleantime is 2 years.
  2. Attends monthly WSR meeting.
  3. To assure accountability, keeps a complete log of all WSR step guide/step writer communications (as described in Guidelines for Function # XXX) Keep in contact (by text, phone or email) with step guides if needed.
  4. Mails Correspondence Only agreements to inmate’s facility each time the step guide is assigned a new inmate step writer.
  5. When a new inmate letter is received, the coordinating secretary sends the Welcome Letter, an Introductory Guide to Narcotics Anonymous & the Behind the Walls NA publication.

Recording Secretary:

  1. Minimum cleantime is 1 year.
  2. Attends monthly WSR meeting.
  3. Takes an accurate set of minutes at each meeting and distributes them to subcommittee chair prior to the RSC (third Saturday of each month), and to members prior to next meeting.

Postal Facilitator:

  1. Minimum cleantime is 2 years.
  2. Attends monthly WSR Meeting & reports on the details of the distribution of all letters received.
  3. Is responsible for one of the Post Office Box Keys.
  4. Picks up WSR mail on a weekly basis and within 48 hours forwards all mail to the appropriate trusted servant(s).
  5. Notifies/reminds WSR Chair upon receipt of PO Box renewal

 Out of State Correspondent:

  1. Minimum cleantime is 2 years.
  2. Attends monthly WSR Meeting & reports on the details of the distribution of all letters received.
  3. Is responsible for one of the Post Office Box Keys.
  4. Picks up WSR mail on a weekly basis and within 48 hours forwards all mail to the appropriate trusted servant(s).
  5. Notifies/reminds WSR Chair upon receipt of PO Box renewal
VII. Terms of Commitment
  1. All trusted servant positions are for 1 year, with a 2 year limit on consecutive terms in the same position.
  2. Anytime a trusted servant misses a meeting he or she will contact the chair regarding their inability to attend the meeting and also submit a monthly activity report. If a trusted servant fails to meet these criteria two consecutive months, the commitment will be considered OTF.
  3. Any trusted servant may have other responsibilities depending on the needs of WSR.