Infusing Problem Gambling Into Existing Prevention Efforts

Imperatives

• Meets requirements in new OAR• No other voices—not yet in SAMHSA, no

MADD equivalent, no federal research• If you aren’t talking about pg, no one else is

either

If you know alcohol/drug/tobacco

prevention, you know problem gambling

prevention

Risk & Protective Factors are the same for ATOD and PG and require similar

interventions

RISK FACTORS• poor parenting• school failure• pro-use community

norms• affiliation with peers

exhibiting behavior• availability/access

PROTECTIVE FACTORS• strong family bonds• clear rules of conduct• parental involvement and

monitoring• strong bonds with school,

community• moderation norms

Challenges

• Not on people’s radar screens• Not seen as an addiction• “We just don’t see it” when it comes to

youth

Turning challenges to messages

• Not on people’s radar screens—you bring it up, highlight it, talk about it, include it

• Not seen as an addiction—include that info in what you tell people—show brain slides, call it an addiction, DSM 5 it will be the first behavioral addiction

• Not seen as risky

Infusion – minimal decencies• Add it to your business card, email

signature, etc• Make sure it is included in your prevention

website even if only a link to www.problemgamblingprevention.org

• Make sure it is mentioned in your prevention service brochures

• When you release youth risk data, make sure it is included

• Include it in your reports

Infusion Ideas by CSAP Strategy:

some examples

Infusion by CSAP Strategy:Information Dissemination

• Calendar• Media: examples on

www.problemgamblingprevention.org

• Teachable moments

Examples of teachable moments• When crimes make the

paper and a gambling problem is involved (embezzlement, theft)

• During major annual sports events: March Madness, Super Bowl, World Series, Civil War, Triple Crown

• school publicizes its participation in Scratch Off for Schools

• celebrity gambling issue hits the national news

• gambling industry hits the local, state or national news

More examples

• When the World Series of Poker winner is announced

• If gambling is used inappropriately as a fundraiser– Casino nights– Newport News Times

Ways to respond• Press release• Letter to the editor/Op-Ed• Blog entry• Informational email• Request a meeting• Radio talk show• Presentation• Phone callWhich one(s) to use depends on time, resources,

context and goal

What’s the goal?• Crime in paper: pg prevalence; increase

awareness of free treatment • Sports events: pg prevalence, addiction potential

and availability of help• School scratch offs: youth gambling prevalence;

consider the message being sent; advocate for more education on pg in schools

• Casino night: youth gambling prevalence; consider alternatives and at least offer pg information; advocate for more education

Resources

• Adult prevalence study• Student Wellness Survey• Helpline website• Prevention Coordinator’s website• Local treatment providers• AMH staff• Voices of PG Recovery

Infusion by CSAP Strategy:Prevention Education

Youth video and discussion guide – middle schoolHigh school curriculum pieces – developed by a

HS teacher; both products free download athttp://www.problemgamblingprevention.org/youth.htm

Your local teachers need you to “show and tell” them about these materials; pg is included in their curriculum standards (see http://www.problemgamblingprevention.org/educators.htm and scroll down to health ed standards)

Coming soon! Ready to use modules for including problem gambling into EBPs

• Project Northland• Girls Circle• Life Skills• Too Good For Drugs & Violence• Project Alert• Strengthening Families 10-14• Latino parenting classBeing developed by your prevention colleaguesWebinars on each will be held in January and the modules

will be available to all

Infusion by CSAP Strategy:Alternative Activities

Example: casino night alternatives

Factsheet and ppt located at:http://www.problemgamblingprevention.org/y

outh/Fact-Sheets/Casino-Night-Fact-Sheet.doc

Infusion by CSAP Strategy:Community Based Processes

Educate your coalitions about youth gambling and problem gambling in general

Infusion by CSAP Strategy:Environmental Approaches

School policies

Retailer training

Advertising and placement

Infusion by CSAP Strategy:Problem Identification & Referral

Problem gambling education programs (treatment agencies, at risk youth programs, etc.)

Familiarize yourself with and promote Helpline 1-877-my limit and 1877mylimit.org

Strategic prevention framework and PG

Discussion: how can PG be infused into these aspects of SPF?

• Assessment—unlikely to come up in most community assessments unless you add it; may not be at the top due to low community awareness but still needs to be addressed

• Capacity—likely only you and your treatment partners at first; increasing general awareness will increase partner base; you do have dedicated funding and a lot of resources at your disposal (www.problemgamblingprevention.org)state office staff/prevention colleagues

• Planning—deliberately include pg prevention in your plans and use some of the ideas discussed in the webinar

• Implementation—same

• Evaluation--same

Infusion for SPF18-25 year olds, in addition to having highest rates of bingedrinking, also have highest rates of gambling problems

Include and share this info when talking about risks for 18-25 year olds

drinking

sexualbehavior

smoking

druguse

gambling

ProblemBehaviors

Risks travel together and should be addressed together

Next steps?

• Individual technical assistance• Webinars on the new products - January• Periodic calls on particular infusion ideas

for more indepth?

•National PG conference: July 2013 in Seattle

plan to attend-prevention is a track!put in a proposal!

Info on pg prev coordinator’s websitehttp://www.ncpgambling.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?p

ageid=4520