AA has four levels of government. The Group, the District, the Area and the GSO. Each fulfills our primary purpose, to carry the AA message, in it’s own way.
The Group holds AA meetings, decides the meeting format, keeps track of the collections, buys and sells AA books, and communicates with the meeting venue, the church, community center, etc. Each group elects a GSR, General Service Representative, who represents the Group at the District level.
The District is a collection of AA groups in a certain geographic area. The District membership is made up of GSRs from each of the member groups. The District manages the AA answering service, distributes public information pieces to libraries, social service organizations and other public venues, organizes AA meetings in prisons and drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, runs events that carry the message through speakers and fellowship, and collects suggestions and information to pass on to the Area. Each district elects a DCM, District Committee Member, who represents the District at the Area level.
The Area is the state organization that helps the districts with their mission. The Area also has service committees which carry the message in ways similar to that of the district, but at the state level. The state also manages a website that has information about AA and a meeting finder that helps people find local AA meetings. The state of Connecticut website can be found at ct-aa.org. Each Area elects a Delegate who represents the Area at the GSO.
The GSO, General Service Office, Is the organization that decides AA policy for the United States and Canada, and helps other countries with their AA mission. The GSO publishes AA literature and also collects suggestions and ideas from the Delegates that are passed on to A.A. groups and members throughout the U.S. and Canada.
