Welcome to
PAL is a support group for parents and other family members who arenavigating through an adult loved one suffering from substance use disorder.
Click FIND A Meeting for current meeting locations.
PAL’s free weekly meetings use evidence-based practices along with curriculum that is designed specifically for parents by professionals in the treatment and recovery industry. PAL has trained hundreds of volunteer facilitator parents.OR fill out the form below to learn how to START a local meeting if you are a parent of an addicted loved one. (See below for qualifications)
Facilitator
Request form to become a facillitator
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About PAL Meetings
PAL is a support group for parents and other family members who are navigating through an adult loved one suffering from substance use disorder.
PAL meetings have been proven in studies to help parents’ wellbeing to improve and decrease enabling behavior. The studies also indicate that the loved one with substance abuse disorder (SUD) was less likely to be using drugs/drinking alcohol once their family member attended PAL meetings. The curriculum, written by professionals in the treatment and recovery industry, includes topics such as delayed emotional growth, the role of the family in addiction, setting realistic boundaries, and healthy helping vs. enabling.
Weekly meetings offer addiction education and support at no charge for parents and other family members who are trying to support a loved one battling substance use disorder.
Who Can Start a PAL meeting?
We receive requests from people across the country looking for PAL meetings in their area. PAL has trained hundreds of volunteer facilitator parents. Some take responsibility for leadership of a group; some are co-facilitators who share leadership; and some sign up to be substitutes when needed. If you have an interest in becoming a PAL facilitator, read the information below.
1. What’s most important in starting a new meeting, is your level of desire. A shared goal between two or more people working together works best.
2. We provide FREE online training as well as support for all of our facilitators.
3. To see how a typical meeting is run, look at our PAL Meeting Format.
4. A volunteer facilitator is not a teacher. Teachers need to have complete knowledge of their subject. A facilitator is more of a time-keeper, guide, and fellow student, learning the curriculum along with the other group members.
5. Meetings are usually 1.5 hours long and are mostly held on weekday evenings.
6. We can help you find a church or suitable location for your meeting (just as a church might provide for other outside groups such as AA or Al-Anon).
7. Once a location is secured, you will be provided with online training. We provide you with ALL the resources needed including brochures, flyers and information on our website sharing the meeting time and location.
