1. Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery depends on ACA unity.
   From the BRB, p. 496
   “Those believing the group is not adhering to ACA principles must talk about their thoughts with one another and with a sponsor or friend. There should also be prayer and thoughtfulness about what should be done. Decisions about what to do should be measured by the principles of unity and the most loving path to take. There should be no harsh talk. There should be no gossip that could be followed by an ambush at a business meeting.”
2. For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority – a loving God as expressed in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern.
   From the BRB, p. 503
   “Our group conscience is a spiritual method by which a Higher Power is expressed in our discussions and our decisions. Most of our decisions are based on what is best for the most, instead of what is best for the few. Through humility, we surrender our egos and place the group first in our decisions on ACA matters. Humility does not mean we are a doormat or that we have no opinion. It means that we are willing to stay focused on ACA principles. We open the door to listen to direction from our Higher Power. We bring our Twelve Step experience to these discussions. We apply surrender, hope, willingness, forgiveness, and other Step principles in our group business meetings and group discussions. We learn discernment and see that some ideas appear good and appealing; however, they can divert us from seeking the best for ACA. We can expect the best from our decisions and get it.”
3. The only requirement for membership in ACA is a desire to recover from the effects of growing up in an alcoholic or otherwise dysfunctional family.
   From the BRB, p. 506
   “I came into this program with a hidden agenda and severe control issues, and I immediately sought to perpetuate my sickness by eliminating everything and everyone that made me uneasy. As insane as this felt, the people at the meeting let me go through my healing process. The fact that I was attending meetings at all and kept coming back to them was far more significant than anything I could say or do. In acting out, I was screaming when I could not voice my pain. I thank God for the tolerance I was given.“
4. Each group is autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or ACA as a whole. We cooperate with all other Twelve-Step programs.
5. Each group has but one primary purpose – to carry its message to the adult child who still suffers.
6. An ACA group ought never endorse, finance or lend the ACA name to any related facility or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.
7. Every ACA group ought to be fully self-supporting, declining outside contributions.
8. Adult Children of Alcoholics should remain forever non-professional, but our service centers may employ special workers.
9. ACA, as such, ought never be organized, but we may create service boards or committees directly responsible to those they serve.
10. Adult Children of Alcoholics has no opinion on outside issues; hence the ACA name ought never be drawn into public controversy.
11. Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, TV, films, and other public media.
12. Anonymity is the spiritual foundation of all our Traditions, ever reminding us to place principles before personalities.

The Twelve Traditions are reprinted and adapted from the original Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous and are used with the permission of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.