Public Relations Handbook - Narcotics Anonymous

What are some ways that the area can cooperate with governmentagencies?Public relations and governmentBefore attempting to build a relationship with any type of government agency, thearea needs to be sure that this relationship can be supported through ongoing humanand financial resources. Building these relationships can take a long time and canrequire substantial human resources. As stated in earlier chapters, prioritizing whichservices are most essential will help an area avoid taking on projects that mightjeopardize their ability to provide basic services in their communities.P l a n n i n g a n d p r e p a r a t i o n f o r a r e a s a n d c o m m i t t e e s Identifying the purpose of creating a relationship with government agenciescan help an area make decisions about which government departments oragencies to contact. An area may decide to start with the local policedepartment, for example, since they come into contact with addicts every day. When planning how to communicate with a government agency, trustedservants can highlight the kinds of resources NA can bring to therelationship. Communicating that NA is a viable (and free) community-basedresource may make certain government agencies open to further discussionswith us. Communication tools such as informational pamphlets, membershipsurveys, and The NA Way Magazine can also be helpful in establishingrelationships with government agencies. As stated in Chapter Four, researching the organization we are planning tointeract with is important—and this is especially true with any government agencywe are planning to form a relationship with. Websites and referral directories canbe a good place to begin this research. Trusted servants can look for informationabout how the government agency is“It is also helpfulto keep up-to-date withthe current governmentpolicies…”structured and what the agency’sprotocols are. It is also helpful to keepup-to-date with the current governmentpolicies for drug treatment. Thesepolicies often change and can have aneffect on an agency’s attitude towarddrug addiction and drug treatment. Understanding these policies can help trustedservants know how best to approach a particular government agency. We can also research what would be the best way to contact a certaingovernment agency. Contact could be made through a letter, phone call,email, or visit. An area’s research should show what would be the mosteffective way to communicate and whom the area should communicate with. Trusted servants can focus on the long-term benefits of building arelationship with the government. It is important to keep in mind that theseservice efforts may not produce immediate results. Although this kind ofservice requires patience, these relationships can have a profound effect onthe ability of addicts to find NA in the future. When planning to make a presentation to a government agency, the area canthink about which trusted servants are likely to be best suited for thesepresentations. Members who have some experience in working withgovernment officials may help to ensure more positive results and can helptrain other trusted servants in how to interact with government agencies.114 | Chapter 13 | Government