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Types of AA Meetings

Child-Friendly: Child-friendly AA meetings allow each member to bring up to one child to the meeting, with the expectation that the discussion will not feature experiences or language that are inappropriate for the child. Formal childcare may not be available, but the member can watch over her child while participating in the discussion.

Open: In Maryland, anyone in the community can attend open AA meetings. This includes individuals seeking treatment for alcohol use disorder and nonalcoholics who want to understand more about the program. Family, relatives, and loved ones of alcoholics can attend AA meetings to learn about addiction and what to expect as their loved one recovers.

Speaker: Speakers are often part of an AA program to motivate audiences to harden their resolve against alcohol. In Maryland, speakers tend to use a mixture of humor, faith, charm, and raw emotions.

Wheelchair Access: Maryland AA centers may include wheelchair access for non-ambulatory clients. Features may include ramps, designated parking spaces, and safe navigability of the center’s layout.

Wheelchair-Accessible Bathroom: Selected AA centers offer wheelchair-accessible bathrooms for participants. These bathrooms have enough space for a wheelchair to safely navigate, and can include private stalls with guardrails, reachable toilet paper and seat cover dispensers, a wash basin, and other amenities.