New Group Resource

Looking to start a Narcotics Anonymous meeting? Narcotics Anonymous meetings are referred to as groups. Groups serve their members (addicts). Groups form Areas. Areas serve Groups. Areas form Regions. Regions serve their areas. Regions form Zones and Narcotics Anonymous World Services (NAWS) whom serve regions.

One of the first things to do according to Starting a new group-A checklist on pg 24 in the Group Booklet is to get in touch with the nearest service committee. An area service committee meeting is the ideal place for announcing your intention to start a new group. There, you can gather experience from representatives of other groups in the area, and learn of the services available to your group when you need them. If you need help finding your local area service committee contact bmlt@wisconsinna.org or call our helpline 1-800-240-0276

The Group Booklet is a great resource for new groups just starting out. In it you will find the what, who, how, and where of it all. Once you have read it and came up with a name, format, place, and time you are ready to publish your meeting. Below you will find the steps needed to list your meeting at your local Area, Wisconsin Region, and World Services websites and meeting lists.

Group Booklet
  • Introduction.
  • What is an NA group?
  • What is a “home group”?
  • Who can be a member?
  • What are “open” and “closed” meetings?
  • Where can we hold NA meetings? 
  • What kind of meeting format can we use?
  • Developing your format.
  • What kinds of literature should we use? 
  • What is a group business meeting? 
  • How does the work get done? 
  • How do we choose group officers?  
  • What officers does a group need?  
  • Rotation and continuity .
  • What responsibilities does an NA group have?  
  • How can our group support other NA services?
  • How can our group better serve our community?
  • How can our group solve its problems? 
  • Sample meeting format. 
  • Starting a new group—A checklist.

Getting Group meeting(s) listed on websites and apps

  • Gather all Group meeting and location information.
  • Group Name
  • Geographical location, street address, city, zip code, name of building (church, public building, etc. Special parking or best place to park, which door to enter, what floor is meeting room, room name or number. Act as if you are a newcomer going to your first meeting. Can you find the meeting with the given newcomer going to your first meeting. Can you find the meeting with the given information.
  • Handicap accessible, hearing impaired etc. (elevator, ramp, first floor wheelchair accessible.
  • If virtual or hybrid provide link and passcode if needed along with any dial in phone number.
  • Day and time the meeting starts and length of meetings (as low as 5-minute increments) i.e.; 1 hour, 1 hour thirty minutes, 1 hour 45 minutes…..
  • Day of meeting?
  • Time of Meeting?
  • Length of Meeting?
  • Determine the type of meeting your Group is providing addicts.
  • Open (for anyone interested in the disease of addiction) or closed (only for addicts or someone who thinks they have a problem with drugs).
  • NA literature study (Basic Text, Living Clean, etc.), open discussion or topic, speaker meeting, and many more types of meetings.
  • Attempt to locate the geographically closest meeting to the city you want to open the new group meeting. (Use the link above to look at the Areas current Geographical service Area).
  • Attempt to locate the geographically closest meeting to the city you want to open the new group meeting using our Area Services page.
  • Make contact with that Area unless your group wish’s to be independent (without Area services) and provide the information gathered about the new group.
  • If independent group is your choice or for any other help, please contact Wisconsin Region at bmlt@wisconsinna.org. and provide the information gathered about the new Group

Remember we are here to serve and can only do so with everyone’s help new Groups and existing Groups, and Areas. NAWS will not enter new meetings directly on the NA app or NAWS website meeting list. NAWS cannot verify if the new meeting is truly an NA meeting. They will not contact Areas within the Wisconsin
Region to help serve your new Group. The meeting list is kept in a database called the BMLT. Only the BMLT (basic meeting list toolbox) coordinator for the Area you choose to join or the BMLT Administrator for the Wisconsin Region can get your Group listed on the Area you choose, Wisconsin Region, NA app and NAWS website meeting list. If you are the BMLT coordinator for and Area or RCM and would like any help or clarification please email bmlt@wisconsinna.org

In loving service WRSC-IT BMLT Cordinator