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A Holiday Message from FADAP

The following message is brought to you by your AFA Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee and the Flight Attendant Drug & Alcohol Program (FADAP).  EAP is always available as a resource to any Flight Attendant; contact information can be found at http://afaalaska.org/eap.

The holiday season is here!  Normally, we equate the months of Thanksgiving through the New Year with festive celebrations and good cheers.   However, for some, this time of year serves as a painful contrast to the joy that fills other’s lives, but maybe not our own.

The Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program is a specialized program just for flight attendants and their family members afflicted or affected by substance abuse.

It’s called FADAP (The Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program).

If you answer yes to any of the below questions, your drinking maybe putting you and/or your job at risk.

The Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP) can help you:

  • Identify if you have a substance use problem needing professional assistance;
  • Refer you into flight attendant specialized treatment services and
  • Support you in your recovery journey.

So take the below quick screen and call the FADAP helpline if you answer yes to any of the below questions.

Flight Attendant Alcohol Use Screen

In the past year,

  • Have you shown up for a flight hung-over?
  • Have you bid a certain position to have easy access to alcohol?
  • Have you consumed alcohol past the cut-off time?
  • Have you felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
  • Have you felt you should cut down on your drinking?
  • Do you drink alcohol 4 or more times per week?
  • Have you had 5 or more drinks on a typical day when you are drinking?

Remember, the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP) is available 24/7 at (855) 333-2327 or (855) 33-FADAP.  The FADAP operator will patch your call directly into your airline peer assistance program or the peer on-call.  Your conversations are always confidential.

“Wings of Sobriety” Telephonic Meetings

Meeting times are scheduled on Wednesday at 3 PM EST and Saturday at 9 AM EST.  Each meeting will last between forty-five (45) minutes to one (1) hour.  The conference call in number is (855) 544-2320.

In Solidarity,

Your MEC – Jeffrey Peterson, Brian Palmer, Yvette Satterlee, Lisa Pinkston, Laura Masserant, Cathy Gwynn, Tim Green, Brice McGee and MEC EAP Committee Co-Chairpersons Elizabeth Dillon and Jeanne McCleave

Mental Health Resolutions for the New Year

 

A message from your Employee Assistance Program (EAP)/Professional Standards Committee

The New Year is not just a ritual. It is the celebration of new hopes and dreams. It is an opportunity to start with a clean slate. Typically, New Year resolutions tend to focus on weight, general health and finances.   But, what might the new year offer us if we used it as an opportunity to commit to improvements in our emotional and mental well-being.  Below are seven positive mental health resolutions that you can borrow for your new year.

  1. “I will treat myself with respect and speak nicely about myself.” Try taping a list of positive characteristics about yourself in various places throughout the house to remind you of these affirmations.
  2. “I will be physically active on a daily basis.” Multiple studies show a link between exercise and improved mental health.
  3. “I will act and not react.” Many times we feel like everyone is “pushing our buttons”. When this happens, we are caught up in a reaction cycle. If you know you’ll be around someone who says negative things, plan for this and have a list in your head of disarming statements. You might even consider modifying your plans to limit exposure to negative people.
  4. “I will learn to relax and enjoy.” Many times we become so busy we forget how or even when to take care of ourselves. Find or “re-discover” an activity that is relaxing and enjoyable to you. Dedicate time to this daily or at a minimum, weekly.
  5. “I will be mindful.” Being mindful is about staying in the moment. We cannot change yesterday and we cannot predict tomorrow. We do, however, have control over our attentiveness in the here and now. So, commit to being aware in the moment, and enjoy that moment.
  6. “I will work towards being the person I want to be.” When we see life as a journey and a time to continue to be the person we desire to be, we find hope and fulfillment in our tomorrows.
  7. “I will resolve to be mentally healthy”. There is still a stigma about seeing a mental health professional.  However, it is truly one of the healthiest things we can do for ourselves. A therapist gives us an unbiased ear and can also help us to understand why we do the things we do … think of seeing a therapist as a mental health oil change. If you need assistance finding a referral, give your AFA EAP a call.  Your local AFA EAP committee members are listed at www.afacwa.org/eap.   We are just a phone call away.

These suggestions have been adapted from an email written by Chip Coffey, the Director of Outpatient Services at St. Luke’s Behavioral Health Center. 

Help from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund For Hurricane Matthew

The AFA Alaska Master Executive Council is passing along this important message from our International officers as a service to our members who had their primary residence impacted by Hurricane Matthew. Please note the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund is open to contributions either by check or electronic payment. Information on how to make a donation is now available at www.afacwa.org.

afa-cwa-disaster-relief-fund-logo

Help from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund For Hurricane Matthew

We know that disasters can change lives forever. While we can’t stop destructive events from happening, we can, as a Union, assist our members with their recovery. AFA established the disaster relief fund after September 11th to assist our members whose lives were placed in harms way. AFA members and retirees, whose primary residence is in the counties listed below and who have suffered damage and/or dislocation, are eligible for $200.00 from the AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Fund. It is a gift made possible by the generosity of your fellow union sisters and brothers with AFA.

Florida Counties: Flagler, Putnam, St. Johns, and Volusia.

Georgia Counties: Bryan, Bulloch, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, McIntosh, and Wayne.

North Carolina Counties: Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Columbus, Craven, Cumberland, Dare, Duplin, Edgecombe, Gates, Greene, Harnett, Hoke, Hyde, Johnston, Jones, Lenoir, Martin, Nash, Pender, Pitt, Robeson, Sampson, Tyrrell, Washington, Wayne, and Wilson.

South Carolina Counties: Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Beaufort, Colleton, Darlington, Dillon, Dorchester, Florence, Georgetown, Hampton, Jasper, Lee, Marion, Orangeburg, Sumter and Williamsburg.

If you would like to apply for AFA-CWA Disaster Relief Funds, download the Disaster Relief Fund Application and fax it to the International AFA EAP Department at 202-434-1411 or mail it to AFA-CWA EAP Department, 501 Third Street NW, 6th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001-2797.   You can also e-mail this same information to lfoster@afanet.org or phone in the necessary information to 1-800-424-2406.

We extend our heartfelt sympathy to AFA members affected by Hurricane Matthew and their families during this difficult time.

Sincerely,

Sara Nelson, International President

Debora Sutor, International Vice-President

Kevin Creighan, International Secretary-Treasurer

afa-cwa-application-for-disaster-relieve-fund

Flight Attendant in Recovery Survey

The following message is from Heather Healy, Director of the AFA EAP Program and Manager of the Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program (FADAP).  If you have questions about EAP or the FADAP Program, feel free to contact Heather at the telephone number below or reach out to your Local EAP Committee.  You can find contact information for your EAP Committee Members at http://afaalaska.org/eap.

If today, you are currently a Flight Attendant and in recovery from alcohol and/or drug abuse, please consider completing this short 9-question survey.  Your answers are completely anonymous. You can skip any questions you don’t want to answer.

Click here to access the Flight Attendant in Recovery Survey

The purpose of this survey is to collect data on the value of supporting Flight Attendants through the recovery and return to work process. Your answers could help Flight Attendants still struggling with their substance use. Thank you in advance for your assistance. Please don’t hesitate to call me with any concerns or questions.

Sincerely,

Heather Healy
Director of AFA EAP and Flight Attendant Drug and Alcohol Program Manager
(800) 424-2406

Pulse LGBTQ Nightclub Shooting in Orlando

Dear Flight Attendants,

 

Below is an excerpt of the statement that AFA International issued about the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando this past weekend.

 

“The Association of Flight Attendants joins together as one, heads bowed in mourning for the victims of the massacre in Orlando.

 

It appears the gunman targeted our LGBTQ community, acting on an unfathomable level of hatred. As a union that has long championed the rights of LGBTQ workers, we will not allow the victims to be defined by their killer. These were ordinary people in every respect –neighbors, friends, co-workers, family. They deserved to be embraced by love, not cut down by hate….

 

[W]e send our love – 50,000 strong – to the families and friends of the victims in Orlando, and to our members and all Americans whose heart is hurting. We will stand together until love triumphs over evil.”

 

If you or a family member has been impacted by this tragedy, please remember that our AFA EAP stands ready to support and assist you.  Please also remember that terrorism can create strong feelings regardless of whether you have a direct connection to this tragedy.  AFA EAP is available to any member as well as their loved ones who would like confidential assistance.  AFA EAP can be reached through their toll free helpline at 800-424-2406. You can also find your AFA Alaska EAP representatives at http://afaalaska.org/eap.

We Will Never Forget – September 11, 2001

AFA Never Forget Website United Flight 175 Robert J. FangmanAmy N. JarretAmy R. KingKathryn LaBorieAlfred G. MarchandMichael C. TarrouAlicia N. TitusCaptain: Victor SaraciniFirst Officer: Michael HorrocksCustomer Service Representatives: Marianne MacFarlane and Jesus Sanchez United Flight 93 Lorraine G. BaySandra BradshawWanda A. GreenCeeCee LylesDeborah WelshCaptain: Jason DahlFirst Officer: Leroy Homer American Flight 11 Barbara AresteguiJeffrey CollmanSara […]

Vacation Survey Now Open

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants Your Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) is working diligently to understand and improve the vacation benefits for our Flight Attendants at Alaska and Hawaiian. Your input is essential in ensuring that the vacation provisions we adopt reflect your needs and preferences. To gather your perspectives, […]

SEA Domicile Negotiations – September 2025

This message is for pre-merger Hawaiian Flight Attendants Negotiations Update The SEA Domicile Negotiating Committee met this week for three days of collective bargaining with management.  The SEA NC met with management on September 3 to September 5 in Honolulu. At the negotiating table for this session were: Representing AFA and our Flight Attendants   […]

Pre-Merger Alaska MEC Committee Interviews—October 2025

This message is for pre-merger Alaska Flight Attendants In accordance with Article VI.C of the AFA Alaska MEC Policy and Procedure Manual, the terms of office for the MEC Committee Chairpersons and other MEC-level positions align with those of the MEC Officers. Since the current term for the MEC Officers will conclude on December 31, […]

Merged MEC Committee Chairperson Interviews—October 2025

This message is for both pre-merger Alaska and Hawaiian Flight Attendants The integration of our Master Executive Councils (MECs) is progressing steadily. Our first group of committees successfully merged on June 1, and we are now planning for another group of committees to merge on November 1. As part of the committee merging process, our […]

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