| | | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | Summer is Here! What do you think of when you think of Summer? Summer is a season of optimism, hope, and adventure. It brings longer days, Vacation Days, and even the occasional Sundaes (What’s Your Favorite Flavor?)! It may bring sunshine and opportunities to gather with family and friends. These gatherings, and favorite summer sports, may take us out in the fresh air more often. These are certainly personal thoughts on what Summer brings. Believe it or not, they aren’t too different from the list of projects and programs we’re working on at our Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling. Outreach campaigns to support Veterans, Active Duty Military, and their Families; BIPOC communities, and so many more have been effective in raising awareness of issues around problem and responsible gambling. Opportunities to gather, share successes and challenges in our field, and network with colleagues and friends include our Summer Training in Spokane, and our Four Directions conference at the beautiful, new ilani Resort Casino. We’re excited to be working with partners on our Latinx Advisory Committee and Skagit Valley College to host Celebración de Familias Saludables – Latino Community Event and Health Fair in September. And, thanks to the support of the Washington State Health Care Authority, we have been able to offer Enhanced Scholarships to support providers in underserved communities to attend the Core Gambling Counselor 30-hour training. Summer Sports are an important part of ECPG’s current outreach as well. We are just reviewing the most extensive Outreach Campaign we have ever conducted – our Washington State Sports Betting Responsible Gaming campaign. While Baseball may represent the epitome of summer sports, it’s just one of the many, many sports that people can choose to bet on. Others that may or may not surprise you include but are not limited to: Golf, Tennis, Soccer, and Ultimate Frisbee – yes, Ultimate Frisbee is a DraftKings offering in some states. Sports betting has brought many new considerations and many transitions to our field and our work. As seasons change, we look at other transitions at ECPG this year. Our wonderful Office Manager, Kathy Bishop, will be celebrating her retirement in December from ECPG after more than a decade of dedicated service. (Don’t worry, you’ll still have opportunities to see her smiling face and talk to her when she promises to continue to step back in on occasion to support conferences and trainings.) We’re also expanding services by adding a new position to our staff – a Prevention and Community Engagement Specialist. So, if you – or someone you know – is looking for a wonderful opportunity to join a hard-working and incredibly cohesive team, let us know! You’ll find more details on all of these topics in this Summer issue of Insights. So – Welcome Summer and ALL it brings. Enjoy your Summer with family, friends and, we hope, with ECPG. | Maureen Greeley
Executive Director | | | | | | | | | |  | | | September 18-21 – Celebrating 15 Years! ilani Resort Casino – Ridgefield, WA Four Directions continues to grow and offer so much since it was first launched 15 years ago. This year’s Four Directions conference promises to be one of the best opportunities to combine evidence-based and culturally based treatment, prevention, and recovery practices yet! Here are just a few of the highlights: - Susan Aglukark Keynote Presentation: Healed Enough
- African Drumming – Cultural Awareness and Therapy with Javoen Byrd
- NW Battle Buddies: Canines Supporting Military Members
- Fireside Chat Welcome Reception: Join us for Storytelling and a twist on a campfire favorite with our “S’Mores-gasbord”
- Healing Hearts, Calming Minds: Harnessing Meditation for Addiction Recovery with Ken Martz
- Medicine Wheel as it Pertains to Recovery with Reuben Twin
- Outreach/Prevention in Rural Communities
- Culturally Responsive Assessment and Treatment Planning
- Retuning: Supporting Attunement in Recovery with Kitty Martz
- Community Dinner Event: Wednesday, September 20
Join us for two days or for all four days of this exciting conference. Watch our website as we continue to announce more presenters and topics in the coming days. Continuing Education credits and Scholarships are available for counselors, students, educators, peer and recovery coaches, and more. Click here to get all the details and registration information – including Early Bird Discount Registration Rates. | | | | | |  | | | Advanced Training in Behavioral Health | | - July 10-12
- Earn up to 22 CEs
- The Mind, Body, and Brain Connection of Addictive Disorders
- Sports Betting Focused Gambling Disorder
- Harm Reduction
- Culturally Competent Gambling Counselor Clinical Supervision
| | | Gambling Counselor Core Training (GCCT) | | - 30 total CEs
- 10 hours self-directed (available now)
- 20 hours in-person (July 10-12)
- Read more about the GCCT here
- In-depth foundational training on gambling, problem gambling, Gambling Disorder
| | | | | | Who is the GCCT program for? - Licensed clinicians seeking Gambling Counselor Certification *
- Anyone seeking a deep dive into understanding Gambling Disorder
| * For those seeking to become Washington State Certified Gambling Counselors, please familiarize yourself with the Certification requirements , including education and licensing requirements, to verify your eligibility and ability to complete the Certification program. * Only those who qualify are eligible to complete the Gambling Counselor Certification program, but the Gambling Counselor Core Training is open to ALL who wish to develop an in-depth understanding of gambling, problem gambling, Gambling Disorder, and treatment services. Join us and meet others! | | | | DoubleTree by Hilton Spokane City Center
322 N Spokane Falls Ct
Spokane, WA 99201 Take advantage of the discounted rate by booking before:
July 2, 2023 800.757.6131, ask for the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling
Training room block, or make a reservation online here
Room rate: $169/night Single/Double (plus taxes) | | | | | | | | Scholarships are available (deadline is July 2, 2023): for treatment providers seeking to become Certified Gambling Counselors, and Prevention Specialists, Peer/Recovery Coaches, and undergraduate/graduate students or professors/counselors in accredited Washington State college and university behavioral health, addictions, and counseling programs. Scholarships are available for all ECPG workshops and conferences. To apply for a scholarship online, click here, or download the fillable PDF. CE Accreditation: Advanced Training- up to 22 CE hours available and GCCT up to 30 CE hours available; Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling is an Approved Provider of Continuing Education by The Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), and the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB). Our workshops have also been approved for continuing education by the Mental Health Addictions Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO), and the American Academy of Healthcare Providers in the Addictive Disorders (AAHCPAD). | |  | | | | | | |  | Sports betting can be fun – but like anything that involves a good time, there can also be risks. The Washington Sports Betting Responsible Gambling Awareness Campaign that launched in Fall 2022 continues to build with more outreach and awareness information and tools available. Television, radio, and digital media campaigns are proving effective in garnering attention and driving visitors to our KeepItFunWA.org site. There, information, and resources are available to heighten awareness and to offer support services. Here are just a few highlights: | |  | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  | | | Counselors and Peer/Recovery Coaches know the importance of meeting your clients where they are. This is especially crucial when working with clients with Gambling Disorder within BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities, as there are still today both cultural barriers and systemic biases that limit treatment access or desire to seek treatment. While no individual or community is the same, there are some common barriers when it comes to equitable treatment services and seeking treatment. Whether it is language barriers, lack of culturally informed care, less access to affordable, equitable heath care in general and mental health services specifically, historical issues that have defined a mistrust for healthcare systems, or myriad other reasons, we must all continue to work to break down barriers, recognize our own biases that impact services, and strive to listen to and act on the needs that BIPOC communities can share with us.
With this in mind, the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, with the support of the Health Care Authority’s Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) and the State Problem Gambling Program, is reaching out to mental health professionals in the hope of increasing awareness, reducing stigma, and making Gambling Disorder Screening more widely available. This special outreach and awareness campaign includes a variety of tools and resources available free to download at GamblingHelpForAll.org. With more than 1 million impressions and 700 clicks since the campaign launched in May 2023, the Videos, Social Media graphics, and Treatment Provider Tool Kit are resonating with treatment providers. The Free Digital Toolkit Resource Library includes: - Downloadable 15-second and 30-second videos suitable for sharing.
- Free Social Media graphics and captions to help you spread awareness to your own social media audiences.
- Brief information fact sheet that details the growing barriers around problem gambling services in BIPOC communities.
Please take time to review these materials, provide your feedback, and let us know if these resources are beneficial to you and the communities you serve. | | | | | | | |  | | | Join us for: A Celebration of Families AND An Opportunity to Promote and Support Health Services, Responsible Gambling and
Recovery Awareness, and Health Resources. This Latino Community Family Friendly Event will offer informational presentations in Spanish with resources in English, Spanish, and Mixteco (limited). Complimentary Refreshments will be served as part of the event, with a variety of exhibitor booths as part of the health fair, and many fun, family friendly activities. Saturday, September 30, 2023, 9:30am to 12:30pm Skagit Valley College 2405 E College Way, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Knutzen Cardinal Center/Cafeteria While there is no registration for the event, we would appreciate it if you could let us know if you plan to attend (email Tana Russell at trussell@evergreencpg.org), and if you would like to participate or show your support in some way for this very meaningful event. We hope to see you there! If you’d like to attend and/or participate as an exhibitor, please contact Tana at trussell@evergreencpg.org. This special Latino Community Awareness Event is offered by The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling and our Latinx Advisory Committee in partnership with Skagit Valley College. | | | | | | | | | | | | Saying thank you to all the wonderful Certified Gambling Counselors in Washington State for the work you do to help others can never capture the full respect and gratitude we’d like to offer you. The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, and our many partners, continue to work for you and with you to determine ways to improve our services to you – whether through training, administrative support, networking opportunities, support with outreach and awareness efforts, and more. We also recognize that, even after decades of work, there remain too many underserved communities, marginalized communities, and geographic gaps where treatment services are rare or nonexistent. Thanks to the support of the Health Care Authority’s Division of Behavioral Health & Recovery (DBHR) and the State Problem Gambling Program, we are hoping that new, Enhanced Scholarships, will allow licensed mental health and SUD providers practicing in Washington State areas that are currently underserved can receive additional support to work toward their Gambling Counselor Certification. Enhanced Scholarships for the 30-hour Gambling Counselor Core Training that meets the training requirement for successful Gambling Counselor Certification are now available to participants practicing in underserved areas. The Enhanced Scholarship includes: - Full cost of the 30-hour Gambling Counselor Core Training registration fees (a 30-hour basic training is required for Gambling Counselor Certification).
- Washington State Gambling Counselor Certification Application fee.
- Full cost of hotel lodging at the conference/training hotel, for up to three (3) nights to attend the 30-hour Gambling Counselor Core Training.
- ECPG one-year Associate benefits (includes discounted rates on all ECPG trainings and workshops).
Perhaps some of the Washington State Counselors who are benefiting from these Enhanced Scholarships can express best why this is one important step in helping break down barriers to seeking Gambling Counselor Certification in underserved areas… “My plans are to complete the gambling certification program and provide services to marginalized individuals and families.” “I live in a very rural community, and we do not have any gambling services providers. The closest services are a 2+ hour drive one way.” | | | | | | | |  | | | Gaming Disorder Prevention and Treatment Training The Foundations in Gaming Disorder – Core training is now a 30 CE-hour course, offered 100% online and self-directed. It is designed to provide the critical knowledge needed to address at-risk video gaming and gaming disorder, from prevention through treatment and recovery. Prevention specialists will be better equipped to understand risk and protective factors and implement science-based prevention strategies. Clinicians will be better equipped to screen, identify, and treat gaming disorder. All will understand the impacts on unique populations and critical connections of gaming disorder with other behavioral health and addictions issues. This opportunity is brought to you by the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health, world-renown subject matter experts, and many partners and volunteers. Foundations in Gaming Disorder training meets the educational requirements for the Gaming Health Specialist Certificate through the Massachusetts Council on Gaming and Health (MACGH) and the International Gaming Disorder Certificate through the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB). See full certification details for additional requirements and eligibility criteria. | |  | What you receive: - Video and written lessons
- Interactive learning includes quiz and process questions, reviews of research literature, looking up latest trends and information in your area, and more.
- Digital workbook that includes all training slides and/or outlines, places for taking notes, resource links, help resources lists, screening tools, worksheets, and additional learning resources.
- Recommendations for corresponding YouTube videos, podcasts and more on related topics, for further optional study.
| | | | | | | | If you’re looking for a place to put your passion to work; meet exciting challenges with creativity; and find fulfillment in making a difference as part of a talented team, we’ve got a place for you! ECPG offers a culture that places a high value on balancing hard work and self-care; offers full employer-paid medical benefits and flexible schedules, and strives to make a positive difference for individuals, families, and communities through our Mission and Values-based programs and services. Office Manager: Open Until Filled - Responsible for organizing and coordinating office operations
- Board and Committee meeting support
- QuickBooks accounting and financial record keeping (payables/receivables/payroll)
For more details, full job description, and application information, click here… Prevention and Community Engagement Specialist: Open Until Filled - Responsible for developing and administering prevention, responsible gambling and gaming, and community engagement initiatives.
- The successful Prevention and Community Engagement Specialist candidate is a passionate, dynamic, and experienced advocate with solid public health, prevention, and training expertise.
- The Prevention and Community Engagement Specialist creates and provides information in an engaging and culturally sensitive manner to help groups and individuals better understand ECPG programs and services, the issues surrounding responsible and problem gambling and gaming, prevention, recovery, and opportunities for community involvement.
For more details, full job description, and application information, click here… | | | | | | The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling (ECPG) seeks to seed innovation through supporting student research and education in the fields of psychology, cognitive or behavioral sciences to address social issues as they apply to Gambling and Gaming Disorders in the following priority areas: - Addressing Gambling and Gaming Disorders as they impact at-risk and vulnerable populations
- Understanding the connections between addictive behaviors and health
- Understanding and eliminating stigma/intersectional stigmas and prejudice of Gambling and Gaming Disorders as Public Health issues (e.g., culture, race, gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, age, disability, and socioeconomic status)
- Special concerns of populations that have historically been underrepresented in research on Gambling and Gaming Disorders
- Understanding connections between Gambling Disorder and Suicide
Funding and Support is Available in Four Categories: - Dissertation Research Grants
- Graduate-Level Academic Thesis Awards
- Advanced Undergraduate (Junior/Senior) Academic Scholarships
- Early Undergraduate (Freshman/Sophomore) Academic Scholarships
Awards range from $2,000 to $3,500 per student. Up to three awards in each category are available for the Grant Funding Cycle Deadline of October 1, 2023. Visit our Student Research Grants and Scholarships page for more detailed application information and eligibility requirements. | | | | | | | Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling
1821 4th Ave. E, | Olympia, Washington 98506
360-352-6133 | info@evergreencpg.org | | | | | | | | | |
