Louisiana's CORE Program Gets to the Heart of Problem Gambling Recovery
For most of us, going to a casino or playing the lottery is just another entertainment option, like seeing a movie or a going to a baseball game. But for some, gambling is not fun, and they need to address their problem through a professional recovery program. In response to this need in Louisiana, the state instituted and fully funded a unique treatment program that incorporates a residential environment with a comprehensive plan for recovery.
CORE, which stands for Center of Recovery, is a home located in Shreveport, La., where men and women struggling with a gambling disorder can reside while undergoing treatment. Founded in 1999, the facility can hold up to 21 residents and provides 24-hour inpatient care in a home-like atmosphere.
"There are many times when problem gamblers have so much complexity in their lives that they must be removed from their day-to-day lives to achieve abstinence that eventually brings about recovery," said Reece Middleton, CORE founder and executive director of the Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling. "These people are in need of residential care."
The main function of CORE is providing facility residents with a treatment regimen, including recovery assessment, therapy, individual counseling, education, financial planning and recreational therapy. The CORE atmosphere is also supported by a 12-step-oriented program. Gamblers Anonymous meetings are held daily at the facility, and Gam-Anon, a support group for families of problem gamblers, also holds meetings at the CORE center.
The CORE program has been an overwhelming success, according to a recent survey administered by a group of psychological behavioral analysts. Survey results showed that the quality of life of residents in the program significantly increased after they completed treatment. Of those surveyed, 85 percent said their employment situation improved or remained the same, and more than 80 percent of CORE-program graduates reported improved relationships with family and friends. Seventy-seven percent of those surveyed also reported an improved financial condition. Evaluators also found that after leaving CORE, more than 60 percent remained free of gambling for more than 30 months. Middleton said this is the most significant result of the survey because there is a high tendency for relapse among pathological gamblers.
CORE is the only state-funded residential treatment program for pathological gamblers in the United States. The center's staff is made up of master's-level counselors, either certified by the state of Louisiana in gambling and substance abuse or licensed as a professional family counselor.
In addition to counseling, the program also requires residents to share the responsibility of maintaining the appearance of the facility and its campus – for example, sweeping floors, cleaning bathrooms, and sharing kitchen and serving duties.
"It is part of encouraging a team effort and crucial to the treatment process," Middleton said.
Another CORE facility will be opening this fall in New Orleans. Initially, CORE-New Orleans will offer only an outpatient program; the facility will add a residential component with space for 18 people beginning in 2003. It will be named for Robert L. Custer, a pioneer in the pathological gambling treatment field.
In addition to the New Orleans expansion, Middleton would like to see the CORE concept replicated in other areas of the country. "We are most willing to share our ideas with other statesÕ treatment programs," he said. "Our treatment message and program are an open book."
