Council Column

NCPG Plans Capitol Hill Conference

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) will hold a Capitol Hill conference in conjunction with the Midwinter Board of Directors meeting, February 10-11, 2006. The Forum on Gambling and Problem Gambling in America will be held Friday, Feb. 10 at the Holiday Inn on New Jersey Avenue, just three blocks from the U.S. Capitol. The tentative agenda includes a panel discussion on internet gambling issues- youth access, risk factors for problem gambling, responsible gaming initiatives and online delivery of problem gambling services. A second session will focus on the explosion in popularity of poker and resulting concerns, including the unclear legal status of "recreational" gaming, high rates of youth participation, the responsibility of media in broadcasting and glamorizing gambling, professional gamblers and the role of skill and chance. 

The luncheon forum will be an opportunity to raise awareness of current gambling issues with Congressional members and staff and also will serve as an opportunity to unveil the NCPG's National Research Agenda. The goal of this project is to foster more and better research into problem gambling. The agenda will provide a roadmap for the long-term goal of securing ongoing federal support for gambling research in the National Institutes of Health and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. It is also important to note the inherent dilemma organizations face when dealing with the current limited funding for problem gambling programs - is it ethical to spend scarce resources on research when there appears to be less than enough funding to deal with the immediate suffering of problem gamblers and their families?

The NCPG believes that research will lead to better services and more efficient use of our resources. It also believes that federal funds for gambling research should be appropriated from new sources and not merely unfunded mandates leached from existing programs. The agenda will incorporate and update many of the research suggestions from the 1999 National Gambling Impact Study Commission. These recommendations were unanimously adopted by the Commission, but largely ignored by federal, state, tribal and local government health and research agencies.   

Indiana, Kentucky Councils Co-Host Successful Fall Conference

Views and News: Perspectives on Treatment of Problem Gamblers was the theme of a joint conference conducted by the Indiana and Kentucky Councils on Problem Gambling in Louisville, Ky., Sept. 22-23, 2005. More than 80 individuals from six states registered for and attended the program. Represented were Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee. An additional three states- Arizona, Missouri and New Jersey- were represented by the nationally known presenters. The program received strong sponsorship support from the Kentucky Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Keeneland Race Course, the Kentucky Lottery, Caesars Indiana, Grand Victoria Casino, the Winners Federation, Casino Aztar, the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association and Argosy Casino and Hotel.

The program opened Thursday morning with Chuck C. relating how treatment for pathological gambling was important to his recovery. His presentation was introduced and placed in perspective by Kentucky Council Professional Adviser Curtis L. Barrett, Ph.D. Arnie and Sheila Wexler filled Thursday afternoon with a presentation on gambling and the family. Friday, Sept. 23, opened with a half-day presentation by Dan Smith on co-occurring disorders. The afternoon was split between a discussion of best practices in government-sponsored programs presented by Tim Christensen, and a clinical case study moderated by Kentucky Council President Herbert (Bud) Newman, Psy.D.

With the support of their respective boards, Indiana Executive Director Jerry Long and Kentucky Executive Director Mike Stone are planning for a second joint fall conference in 2006. The bi-council cooperation permits a pooling of resources to offer an enhanced program of nationally recognized presenters. Publicizing the high-quality program generates increased attendance and public awareness.

Nevada Holds First Meeting Of Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling

The historic first meeting of NevadaÕs newly appointed nine-member Advisory Committee on Problem Gambling was held Oct. 6, 2005. The advisory committee was created as a result of the passage of Senate Bill 357, which established a $2.5 million fund for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling, to be administered by the Grants Management Unit of the Department of Health and Human Services. The role of the advisory committee is to establish criteria, review requests and make recommendations for grants to be awarded from the fund. The Committee also will assist department staff in determining the needs of local communities and in setting priorities for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.

The members of the committee, appointed by Governor Kenny Guinn, include representatives from the gaming industry, mental health, education and other service providers as follows:
¥ Glenn Christensen, Station Casinos
¥ Sean Higgins, Herbst Gaming
¥ Ray Kendall, Director of Rural Clinics Community Mental Health Centers
¥ Dr. Rena Nora, Veterans Administration Ð Division on Problem Gambling
¥ Carol OÕHare, Nevada Council on Problem Gambling
¥ Bill Bingham, MGM MIRAGE
¥ Ken Templeton, Problem Gambling Center
¥ Denise Quirk, Red Hawk Counseling
¥ Bill Eadington, Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming, University of Nevada-Reno

Dr. Bo Bernhard, with the International Gaming Institute at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, offered the committee some observations from similar program efforts that have been undertaken in other states, encouraging the committee to "seek best practices and expertise from others, but to also trust our local [Nevada] knowledge."

Committee members elected Christensen to serve as chairman and Eadington to serve as vice chairman, 
and voted to direct department staff to issue a Request for Letters of Interest to gather information that can be used to assist the committee in developing a formal Request for Applications at the committee's next scheduled meeting in November.