As Problem Gambling Awareness Month 2021 draws to a close, the AdCare Educational Institute of Maine summarises how the New England state is tackling the issue at hand and what more can be done to help problem gamblers.

Who is it?

Lori Manson, Problem Gambling Services Coordinator at AdCare Educational Institute of Maine

The AdCare Educational Institute of Maine provides support, training and specialised services for the development of Maine behavioral health professionals in the fields of prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery.

What is being said?

Explaining the motivation behind the Institute, Manson began: “People might assume that an organisation that provides problem gambling services is against gambling but it’s important to understand that we are gambling neutral. We are neither for nor against legal forms of gambling. We introduce the harm of problem gambling and its impact on Maine individuals, families and communities.”

She continued: “Right now, efforts to raise awareness are largely handled through social media and providing educational sessions. Both AdCare and the Maine Council on Problem gambling frequently post information, articles, PSA’s and training announcements, and we take part in awareness campaigns such as the National Council on Problem Gambling’s Annual Lottery Campaign.

“To provide educational opportunities to people in Maine, we do frequent sessions which are usually free on a wide variety of topics related to problem gambling. To do that, we work with presenters who are national and international experts in the field. We also have a number of self-paced on-demand training available at no cost. I also want to call your attention to the fact that we can provide problem gambling one-on-one training which is an educational session that we can personalise for any Maine group that requests it, such as agencies, employers and youth groups.”

Why should I watch it?

To gain a deeper understanding of some of the measures being implemented in the New England state to tackle problem gambling and how these projects and suggestions can be utilised elsewhere across the US.

Where can I see more?

Source: AdCare Maine YouTube Channel