CONCORD, N.H. - Governor Chris Sununu signed a proclamation recognizing March as Problem Gambling Awareness Month in New Hampshire, helping the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling and the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling raise awareness for the resources available to individuals and families dealing with gambling problems. The two councils collaborated to produce a free, on-demand webinar, "What NH Providers Need to Know About Gambling and Gambling Disorder," aimed at providing New Hampshire behavioral health providers with educational information on treating those with gambling disorders through evidence-based care tactics. To view the webinar, visit https://youtu.be/tIwtEZGpRM4.
To further recognize Problem Gambling Awareness Month, the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling and the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling produced a video interview discussing gambling disorder between Ed Talbot, Executive Director of the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling, and Dot Duda, M.Ed., Director of Programs and Training, New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling. During the conversation, Talbot and Duda discuss lived experience with gambling disorder, gambling disorder as addiction, existing resources in New Hampshire and treatment basics. To view the video interview, visit https://youtu.be/atGivFX_Fvg. The two councils also produced a third video featuring conversations with council board members discussing problem gambling prevention and treatment in New Hampshire: https://youtu.be/Ncta96Wc0Oo.
"We have a responsibility to ensure New Hampshire residents and families dealing with gambling problems have access to support and care," said Governor Chris Sununu. "It is critically important the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling and the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling continue to raise awareness for the growing resources and treatment options that exist today."
The New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling was established through the 2019 legislation legalizing sports betting in the Granite State and is tasked with education, prevention and treatment related to gambling disorders in New Hampshire. The New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling is a private nonprofit agency providing information, education, advocacy and prevention services, along with referrals to treatment for those impacted by gambling addictions.
During the 60-minute webinar, Talbot shares his own experience with gambling-related problems, including insights on his recovery and long-term abstinence from gambling. Dr. Heather Gray, Director of Academic Affairs at the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance and an Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, provides a detailed description of gambling disorder and the legal gambling landscape, focusing on risk factors, neurological hallmarks, and consequences.
Dr. Debi LaPlante, Director of the Division on Addiction at Cambridge Health Alliance and Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, summarizes the Division on Addiction's research during the webinar regarding evidence-based practices for gambling disorder treatment, offering suggestions and resources for health providers addressing gambling.
"Gambling disorder is treatable and we are grateful to Governor Sununu for his support of our efforts to raise awareness for problem gambling as we continue to build a statewide network of services and resources in New Hampshire," said Maura McCann, Chairman, New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling. "This webinar is an important resource for health care providers and we look forward to continue working with the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling to help those struggling with gambling addiction."
"Problem Gambling Awareness Month serves as an important opportunity to renew our commitment to help the thousands of New Hampshire residents suffering from gambling addictions," Talbot said. "We plan to further expand our support system by training clinicians to utilize evidence-based care tactics to treat those with gambling disorder, as well as through direct outreach to at-risk individuals and their families."
The New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling is composed of five Commissioners, all of whom have experience in the field of addiction or mental health services with a focus on problem gambling. Commissioners include Chairwoman Maura McCann, Marketing Director, New Hampshire Lottery; and Commissioners Dot Duda, former clinical director, Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Dr. Heather Gray; Dr. Debi LaPlante; and Ed Talbot. Members serve three-year terms.
About the New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling
The New Hampshire Council for Responsible Gambling, which was established through the 2019 legislation legalizing sports betting in the Granite State, is a five-member board tasked with education, prevention and treatment related to gambling disorders in New Hampshire. The council addresses the social, financial and emotional costs of problem gambling by providing information, education, advocacy and prevention services, as well as referrals to treatment for problem gambling to those affected, their family and their loved ones and the community. For more information, please visit: https://nhcrg.org.
About the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling
The New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling is a private nonprofit agency created in 1996 to address the social, financial and emotional costs of problem gambling. The Council provides information, education, advocacy and prevention services as well as referrals to treatment for problem gambling to those afflicted, their loved ones and the community. For more information on gambling addictions and the resources the New Hampshire Council on Problem Gambling offers, please visit: http://nhproblemgambling.org/.