Summer 2020 Insights eNewsletter 

From the Director’s Desk

The term “Desk” in that headline may not accurately describe the space where I have spent most of my working hours the past few months.  Our ECPG staff continues to work remotely, though we are hopeful to be together in our office again soon.  As we keep our pulse on the State’s phased Safe Start reopening plans, we have begun to consider a phased approach to returning to our office, as well.

We miss working and being together regularly and we miss being able to learn, network and socialize with all of you – particularly at our training conferences and events.  And, we’ve heard from you that you miss these opportunities, too.  Our staff and partners are working hard to determine what is best to ensure the health and safety of everyone who will return with us to workforce development trainings as soon as possible.  There will be modifications to how we offer face-to-face trainings for a while – even when we can gather again.  One thing our team has always been good at is finding creative ways to pivot and adapt – that is more important now than ever.

Our July Quarterly Training has been postponed to next summer (July 12-15, 2021) in Yakima.  We will not be able to host our annual Four Directions Conference this September – for the first time since the conference was launched in 2009.  We are pleased to have the support and partnership of the Lummi Nation as our Four Directions Host in September 2021; and we will offer Four Directions at Little Creek Resort in 2022.

We are continuing to plan for our rescheduled Focus on the Future conference and Northwest Recovery Symposium training events November 9-12, 2020, at the Red Lion on the River Jantzen Beach, just across the bridge in Portland, Oregon.  Thank you to our conference partners and supporters!  Watch for more information coming soon.

I can’t tell you how proud I am of all of our Staff for their hard work and dedication in unprecedented times.  Our programs and services for residential treatment, webinars, expanded social media, outreach and awareness, working with our Community Advisory Committees, and so much more, have continued uninterrupted because of the staff’s great ability to pivot and openness to meeting challenges with creativity and innovation.  You’ll find more about all these programs in this issue of Insights.  Please don’t hesitate to send us any questions, thoughts, and ideas that come up as you read this issue. We’d love to connect with you!

  
Maureen Greeley  
ECPG Executive Director

 

Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling Social Justice Commitment

Social Justice requires real change – lasting change.  The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling recognizes that vibrant communities are inclusive communities; that diversity is key to the richness of the world in which we live and work; and that inequities of opportunity and justice impoverish us all.  Our Mission reflects our goal to strive to understand others – to meet them and to support them where they are on their journey to be whole and healthy.  The work we do is based in empowering people.  Sometimes that means opening our eyes to the legitimacy of their rage, anger, and grief – it must be expressed, and it must be acknowledged, with respect. That may be at an individual level or acknowledging the collective anger, grief, and trauma experienced in cultures of color.  Some of us must also acknowledge that we can strive to support and empower, but our own privilege may bar us from ever fully understanding the depth of this generational anger and grief for Blacks, for Native Americans, for people of color who have had to navigate lives impacted by racism for generations.  We can understand what created that anger, grief, and trauma was and is wrong and it must stop.  We will commit to actions that break the cycle. We cannot and do not accept actions of cruel, inhumane, senseless mistreatment, brutality, and killing.

Social justice is a Public Health issue that compels us to eliminate inequities based on race, gender, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or disability.  Our field is familiar with the inequities and barriers built by stigma and fear.  Public health requires the ability to provide even the most basic of services without stigma; without discrimination; without humiliation; without marginalization; without racism. We commit to increasing our efforts to be a catalyst for change; for working harder at turning words into actions.  We will increase efforts to advocate for important Social Change in mental health and addiction support in prevention, treatment, and recovery services. We acknowledge and will work to help meet the important need for more counselors of color in our field; for greater understanding and development of culturally sensitive services and ways to eliminate barriers to those services.  Our Council welcomes and encourages feedback from and participation by people of color on our Community Advisory Committees. 

We need your insights and experience to guide us in this important work.

 

Community Advisory Committees – a Key Asset for ECPG

Over the years, community members have offered invaluable guidance and support in the work we do at ECPG.  We’d like to highlight one of those Committees now and let you know how you can get involved.

Latinx Community Advisory Committee Collaborates on Spanish Outreach 

ECPG’s Latinx Community Advisory Committee has been hard at work this year helping our staff develop new communications print materials, a new web page, a broadcast and social media awareness campaign, and gambling disorder screening tools – all in Spanish!  Click on the beautiful image to the left to see the Spanish-language web page with access to all of these new resources.  To our wonderful Latinx Advisory Committee members --  Muchas gracias!  We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all:

Claudia D’Allegri, Julio Iniguez, Dalis LaGrotta, Marco Medina, Oscar Rivera, Antonio Sosa

An Invitation for You to Join an ECPG Community Advisory Committee

The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling works hard as a small nonprofit organization in partnership with many other organizations and agencies to offer the most effective programs and services to meet the needs of individuals, families, and communities throughout Washington.  Community Advisory Committees provide a structure of involvement by diverse groups of community members who can offer invaluable support, experience, and insights and provide crucial connections with community organizations, agencies, and coalitions in order to strengthen programs and services.

ECPG welcomes qualified and dynamic community representatives to share insights and knowledge to help guide the work we do to offer effective services and program delivery in communities throughout Washington.  Community Advisory Committee members have a genuine interest in ECPG’s Mission and work, and a desire to help break down barriers and eliminate gaps in services for awareness, prevention, treatment, and recovery supports.  Join an ECPG Community Advisory Committee – for more information and an application form click here. 

 

ECPG is growing its web presence

The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling has long been intending to do more with and offer more services digitally, but the COVID-19 pandemic has given us quite a nudge in that direction.  In case you’ve missed some of these, here’s a list of what we’ve been doing, what’s pending, and what we are very excited is coming. 

ECPG Blog: ECPG’s blog has been given new life and is the key place where you can find information about the latest and greatest happenings we are offering.  Also check here to find all the favorite links and resources used by our guest experts on the ECPG Live events.  We recently added some extra Q&A from attendees and experts to our blog that continues the conversation from our last ECPG Live on Gambling and Gaming During the Pandemic

ECPG Live: Our Live events have been a blast!  If you’ve missed them, you can always watch the recordings and tune in for the next one on either ECPG’s Facebook or Youtube pages. Be sure to bookmark, like, follow, make it a favorite, or share your favorite ECPG Live event! 

Don’t miss the next ECPG Live! 

Cashless Casinos
Friday, July 10 at 1 pm PT/3 pm CT/4 pm ET 

Guests include: Keith Whyte, Executive Director, National Council on Problem Gambling

Don’t know what a Cashless Casino is?  Familiar with Cashless Casinos and want to share your thoughts?  Then save the event on your calendar and tune in to find out and participate in the conversation!  

Webinar: ECPG was happy to partner with the University of Nevada’s Center for the Application of Substance Abuse Technologies (CASAT) Training program, to present a webinar offering an Overview of Gambling Disorders, Neurobiology, and the Gambling Counselor Certification process.  You can find a recording of that webinar here.

eCourses: ECPG plans to launch our first open Exam-Prep eCourse, a self-study program to help those preparing to take the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB) Gambling Counselor Exam.  We plan to have it launched in July, in time for the next round of exam candidates to be able to use it to help them study for the Exam offered in the August testing window. Please email trussell@evergreencpg.org, if you would like to receive an invitation to be in the first group of testers for the Exam Prep eCourse.  Stay tuned for more eCourses coming in the future! 

IGCCB Exam schedule

Application Deadline

Testing Window

July 15, 2020

August 15-29, 2020

November 4, 2020

December 5-19, 2020

 

 

NCPG News Update

As the Washington State Affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling, our Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling has long played a role on the NCPG Board and Committees to represent issues and views from Washington State members, partners, and those we serve. This work allows us to not only represent our colleagues and peers, but to learn more, be involved, and advocate on the national level.  The following ECPG Board and Staff Members currently serve on a number of NCPG Committees:

Ty Lostutter, PhD 
ECPG Board President

  • Military Committee:  Advises on issues related to gambling in the military.
  • Prevention Committee:  Advocate for the inclusion of prevention services as part of the full continuum of care.

Maureen Greeley  
ECPG Executive Director

  • NCPG Board:  Governing Body of the National Council.
  • Affiliates Committee:  Affiliate Representative for Washington.   Advise the Board of Directors on all policy and program matters that affect the activities of the State Affiliates
  • Responsible Gambling Committee:  Advises NCPG on responsible gambling issues.

Tana Russell  
ECPG Assitant Director

  • Affiliates Committee:  Affiliate Alternate for Washington.  Advise the Board of Directors on all policy and program matters that affect the activities of the State Affiliates
  • Treatment Committee:  Advise NCPG on treatment of problem gambling.

Rob Maya
ECPG Social Media and PR Specialist

  • Communications Committee:  Advises on NCPG website and communications issues.

Kathy Bishop
ECPG Office Manager

  • Helpline Committee:  Advise on issues related to the NCPG Helpline Network.

Interested in joining an NCPG Committee?  Click here for a full list of NCPG Committees and to access the Committee Interest Form for consideration when space becomes available.  NCPG Members receive first consideration. 

Not yet an NCPG Member?

Take advantage of our ECPG/NCPG Joint Membership – join both and save! 

As an ECPG member, you’ll receive member discounted rates on all of our quarterly trainings, our annual conferences, and Recovery Coach Trainings – all of which offer Continuing Education Units from many association and certification boards.

Become a Member of both and Save: www.evergreencpg.org/membership

 

For the first time in its history, NCPG is offering two distinct conference options. 

Digital Symposium:  July 20-23 – online sessions.

12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET/9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. PT

Main Conference:  In Washington, DC – Wednesday – Friday, November 4-6.

Click here for more information on conference topics, presenters, and registration.

 

Health Care Authority Response to COVID-19

The Health Care Authority and Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery (DBHR) have been proactive in responding to the COVID-19 outbreak to ease the burden for behavioral health care providers and agencies. Starting in mid-March, DBHR has been hosting a regular BH Providers webinar, now bi-weekly on Tuesdays between Noon-1:30pm. HCA also offered loaner laptops (thru mid-June) and Zoom (Pro) licenses for providers who needed them for telehealth. In June, DBHR opened Washington Listens, a warm line for individuals who are seeking to connect with resources: 1-833-631-0211. The warm line ‘provides non-clinical psycho-education based support to people experiencing elevated stress due to COVID-19.’ In addition, DBHR continues to update the DBHR COVID-19 newsletter and now produces a BH Impact Situation Report that debuted last week.

The State Problem Gambling Program has also been supporting problem gambling treatment agencies who hold contracts with HCA with supplemental funding for those that need it. This financial safety net has allowed several problem gambling agencies to provide services and keep their programs viable during this transition to telemental health. Started in March, the supplemental funding has been extended now through Sept. 2020. For more info on the State Problem Gambling Program, please contact Roxane Waldron, Program Manager: roxane.waldron@hca.wa.gov.

  
Roxane Waldron, MPA

Problem Gambling Program Manager

Behavioral Health Programs
Division of Behavioral Health and Recovery
Health Care Authority

 

Washington State Problem Gambling Task Force update

  
Commissioner Julia Patterson, Vice-Chair of the Washington State Gambling Commission, Chair of the Washington State Problem Gambling Task Force

As Chair of the newly created Problem Gambling Task Force, I am honored and excited by the approach the legislature has taken to address the addictive, social, and public health issues of problem gambling.  State agencies, tribes, clinicians, the Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling, community members, the Washington State Gambling Commission, and elected officials have been brought together for the purpose of making informed recommendations to the legislature. This group of dedicated professionals has been working since the beginning of the year to address how to more effectively prevent, treat, and fund problem gambling services in the future.  If all goes well, the results of this work will be submitted to the Washington State Legislature in the Summer of 2021.

Four work groups have been formed who are strategically developing recommendations. The work groups are:  1) Prevention and Outreach, 2) Access to Care/Treatment/Recovery, 3) Research and Data, 4) Advocacy and Policy.

Over the course of the coming year, the Research and Data Work Group will offer recommendations to the full Task Force on commissioning a prevalence study to help the Task Force determine how big of a problem we have in the State of Washington. The timing of this study will be somewhat determined by the extent to which casinos and card rooms resume business as usual, post-Covid-19. This data will help shape policy and funding decisions in the future, and support legislators in their efforts to create policy that will help people suffering with a gambling addiction.

Good work is underway.  Providing help and giving hope is the ultimate goal.

  
Brad Galvin, MS, LMHC, SUDP, NCGC-II, Addiction and Trauma Therapy Specialist, Brief Therapy Works, Co-Chair of the Washington State Problem Gambling Task Force

The overarching goal of the Access to Care, Treatment, and Recovery Work Group is to increase the availability and accessibility of problem gambling-related treatment services in Washington State.  Problem gambling treatment in Washington is very poorly funded relative to many other states.  Thus, our work group is seeking to augment existing funding sources to make service expansion possible.  With this increased funding, we could work to incentivize workforce development, expand treatment options, and improve accessibility for prospective clients through programs such as telehealth.  Our work group is eager to augment the number of gambling counselors and programs in the state and to connect prospective clients with these expanded services.   

To learn more about the Problem Gambling Task Force (PGTF), visit the PGTF page on the Washington State Health Care Authority’s website. 

 

Counselor Certification Changes

ECPG continues to provide administrative services for the Washington State Gambling Counselor Certification Committee.  Considering the pandemic, the Committee has been meeting more frequently to discuss reducing barriers for Certification and Supervision.  The Certification Committee has recently removed the requirement that Certification applicants must have at least 3 face-to-face meetings per year with their supervisor.  All supervision appointments can now be done by phone or HIPPA compliant Telehealth platforms.  They continue to work diligently to discuss more ways to reduce barriers to certification and supervision, and an updated Certification Manual will be released once changes are finalized.  You can also download the current version of the Gambling Counselor Certification Manual.  

 

We have new FACT SHEETS!

Please click below to freely download PDFs of our latest Fact Sheets.  To view previous Fact Sheets, go to the Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) section of our webpage here.

FACT SHEET: Problem Gambling and Substance Use Disorders

FACT SHEET: Problem Gambling and Physical Health

FACT SHEET: Problem Gambling and Public Health

 

Contact Us

Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling
1821 4th Ave. E
Olympia, Washington 98506
360-352-6133
info@evergreencpg.org

Unsubscribe