Problem Gambling Innovator: Kathy Scanlan
When Kathy Scanlan took over the position of executive director of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling in 1998, Thomas Cummings, the Council's founder as well as Scanlan's mentor, assured her he had taught her everything she needed to know to lead the organization. Since then, it's been evident - through her work at the council and her devotion to public education about problem gambling - that Cummings' encouraging words have held true.
Scanlan has worked at the Massachusetts Council for more than 18 years, first starting as a program director in 1987. With a strong background in adult education, Scanlan admits she knew nothing about problem gambling when Cummings first hired her, and she had a lot to learn.
"In the beginning, I had to learn about problem gambling when there wasn't a lot of literature out there [on the subject]," Scanlan said. "In order to learn about the field, I went to a lot of GA (Gambler's Anonymous) and Gam-Anon meetings."
Fortunately for Scanlan, much has been written on the subject of problem and pathological gambling since her days observing gamblers' support sessions, including a host of scientific research that Scanlan relies on to bolster much of her work at the council. One of her most significant projects - considered by many in the field as an innovation in problem gambling treatment - is "Your First Step to Change," a self-help tool for problem gamblers and their families.
The program, which includes a questionnaire about gambling behavior, information about understanding gambling and approaches for getting help, is backed entirely by evidence-based research. Scanlan said she embraced "First Step" because of its scientific roots, an important basis for all problem gambling treatment methods. Harvard Medical School conducted the initial research, which indicated some people with gambling problems have effectively responded to the self-help method of treatment. With the evidence to back it up, Scanlan took the next steps to develop "First Step," which she believed could serve as an alternative for people who did not need full treatment but wanted help.
Another reason Scanlan says she gave life to the project is because the council needed to fill a hole in its treatment referral process.
"When taking [help-line] calls, we identified a group of people who we didn't have a referral for," Scanlan explained. "There were some people who couldn't leave their home because they were handicapped or elderly, or people who felt they couldn't go to treatment or to a meeting. So we decided to focus on helping people who can't use traditional methods of help - and [Your First Step to Change] was the option."
Scanlan added that a bevy of commercial how-to books on everything from weight loss to depression exists in the marketplace, and people are drawn to these self-help approaches as a way to manage their issue. "First Step" provides a similar self-help system.
"'Your First Step to Change' is innovative because it's the first self-help guide for people who may have a problem with gambling," said Christine Reilly, executive director of the Institute for Research on Pathological Gambling and Related Disorders. "[Scanlan] was a major force behind its creation; she was involved every step of the way."
Down the road, Scanlan says she would like to expand the program and create a companion packet for families of problem gamblers. Already, organizations in Missouri and Iowa are expanding Scanlan's work to their regions. The Missouri council distributes "First Step" materials to its help-line callers and their families and provides packets to people who join the state's voluntary self-exclusion program. In Iowa, problem gamblers and others can access the program online at the Iowa council's Web site.
Aside from promoting "Your First Step to Change" and creating ways to increase the program's helpfulness, Scanlan continues to educate the public and treatment professionals in her state about problem gambling. She hosts annual conferences, workshops, regular training sessions, and develops collateral materials, among other methods for learning. In 1999, Scanlan spearheaded a series of problem gambling public service announcements for radio, television and billboards in Massachusetts and later, in conjunction with Harvard Medical School, developed a set of evidence-based guidelines for clinicians treating problem gamblers.
It's been more than seven years since Scanlan's predecessor handed her the reins of the Massachusetts council. Unfortunately, Cummings was not able to witness the many successes of his protege - he passed away less than a week after Scanlan became executive director. Despite the loss of her mentor and good friend, Scanlan said she never lost her focus. She has become a problem gambling innovator for Massachusetts and a model leader for problem gambling education programs nationwide.
