Find Montana AA Meetings Near You

If you’re struggling with alcohol use in Montana, you’re not alone. Adults in Montana drink significantly more than the national average, highlighting the importance of alcohol addiction support programs. AA meetings in Montana could be the support you (or your loved one) needs to overcome alcohol dependence (now called alcohol use disorder). This guide provides detailed information about excessive alcohol use and treatment in Montana, its implications, as well as information about what to expect and how to find AA meetings near you.

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Expert insights

In a recent report, the Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS) revealed that adults in Montana drink at higher rates (and are more likely to report binge drinking) than the national average. Sixty three percent of Montana adults drink alcohol compared to 55 percent of US adults.

What’s interesting about this report is even though they suggest alcohol use has “remained steady for the past decade” they report a higher rate of binge drinkers (32 percent) than the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who report 24 percent. This could be attributed to a different monitoring system; Montana DPHHS uses the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Survey on Drug Use and

Health and the CDC uses their own reporting tool (Alcohol-related disease impact application). Either way, adults in Montana are drinking excessively, which is causing a significant impact to their health, the economy, and the rate of alcohol-related deaths. Data also shows a large treatment gap. In 2019 to 2020, 11 percent of Montanans aged 12 and old had alcohol use disorder and only 3 percent received treatment.

Alcoholism statistics in Montana

According to data from the CDC and Montana DPHHS adults and youth in Montana engage in binge drinking at higher rates than the national average:

Alcohol use is highest among adults aged 18 to 25 and is most popular on college campuses where over 80 percent of students drank alcohol in 2021
32 percent of adults in Montana binge drink, which is higher than the national average of 25 percent
Among adults who binge drink in Montana, 25 percent drink 9 or more drinks in one night out
On average, 25 percent of adults in Montana binge drink at least five times per month

Youth alcohol statistics

Among high school students in Montana

33 percent reported alcohol use
17 percent reported binge drinking – higher than the national average of 16 percent
17 percent drank alcohol before the age of 13

Costs of substance use in Montana

Excessive alcohol use kills more than 850 people each year in Montana
American Indian and Alaska Native communities are disproportionately impacted by alcohol-related deaths, representing one third of mortalities despite accounting for only 6 percent of the population in Montana
The economic cost of excessive alcohol use in Montana equates to $871 million per year. Impacting businesses in lost productivity, the criminal justice system for alcohol-related crimes, and the healthcare system with alcohol-related health effects
Alcohol-related hospital visits are on the rise. In 2020 there were:

12,435 emergency department visits
1,966 inpatient visits
These visits alone cost over $200 million dollars

These statistics show how important addiction treatment and support resources are to improve the public health of Montanans. One such resource is AA meetings in Montana. The next section of this guide provides information about popular AA meetings, we’ll explain different AA formats, and provide meeting information so that you can find the right AA meeting for you or your loved one.

Popular types of AA meetings in Montana

Newcomers meeting

A newcomers meeting is dedicated to supporting people who go to AA for the first time, like people who think they have a problem with alcohol. You’re not obliged to go to a newcomer meeting if it is your first time going to AA, but you may find it helpful as these meetings are a very welcoming space. You will usually be given an opportunity to share your name and members will provide their telephone numbers and tell you a little more about AA and what to expect. It’s a good rule of thumb to remember that everyone there has been in your shoes and felt nervous or overwhelmed. Just remember that it can take a while to feel “at home” in AA, so don’t expect too much from your first meeting. And remember, you went there for a reason.

Tradition study meeting

The twelve steps and twelve traditions of AA are both how people in AA recover and how the meetings function. Think of them as two sides of the same coin. A tradition study meeting involves reading a passage of the book, The 12 Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, and each person taking the opportunity to either read or share their experiences related to the reading.

Daily Reflections meeting

AA’s book Daily Reflections is a collection of 365 short essays for members to reflect on. You may find topics centered around AA’s core principles, including being of service, gratitude, humility, and sobriety. Most members read this book every day as a short meditation or to reflect on their program of recovery. A daily reflection meeting is where members read a passage from the book and share their experiences.

As Bill Sees It

AA’s founder, Bill Wilson, wrote As Bill Sees It, which shares his experience of the core values of AA. This book is a source of inspiration, hope, and comfort for AA members. Like other literature-themed meetings, this kind of meeting reads a passage of As Bill Sees It and members share their related experiences.

Online AA meetings in Montana

Montana has many online AA meetings for all kinds of people, identities, and lifestyles. For example, you’ll find:

Early morning meetings: there is a 6.45am Trackside meeting, Monday through Friday, and a 7am meeting called There is a Solution
Women’s meeting: 8pm on Saturday, called Misfits Women’s Meeting, a midday Tuesday meeting called Women’s Serenity Noon, and 6pm Pink Cloud Women’s Meeting on Wednesdays
Evening meetings: general meeting at 8pm, 7 days a week, West Yellowstone virtual meeting at 6.30 pm on Wednesday and Sunday, and many other evening meetings
Late night meetings: Not a Glum Lot – Living Sober Book Study on Tuesday at 9pm

Resources for alcohol addiction

Montana DPHHS provider list: find state approved treatment centers
State peer support workers: find state certified behavioral health peer support workers with lived experience of addiction and recovery
Rural health resources: state and federally funded rural health centers that accept Medicaid and other medical assistance programs

Sources

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Alcohol Related Disease Impact (ARDI) application. Retrieved from: https://nccd.cdc.gov/DPH_ARDI
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Alcohol and Public Health. State Fact Sheets. Montana. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/fact-sheets/states/excessive-alcohol-use-united-states.html#MT
Montana Department of Health and Human Services. (2023). State Epidemiology Outcomes Workgroup. Summary of Alcohol Use in Montana. Retrieved from: https://dphhs.mt.gov/assets/publichealth/EMSTS/Data/AlcoholUseMontana.pdf