VOLUME III, ISSUE IX March 2022 Newsletter

March 2022 Newsletter

Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM):

Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) is a grassroots campaign that seeks to increase public awareness of problem gambling and Gambling Disorder (GD) and the prevention, treatment, and recovery services available to treat GD. For the twentieth year, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services/Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR), in collaboration with the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling (ICPG) and the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), proclaim March Problem Gambling Awareness Month in Illinois!

GD can lead to financial, emotional, social, occupational, and physical health problems. However, people with GD often do not associate gambling problems with the adverse consequences directly related to their GD.

Anyone who gambles can develop problems, especially those with other addictive disorders (73.2% of individuals with gambling disorder reported comorbid alcohol use disorder)1.

Therefore, it is critical to screen for gambling disorder when completing a substance use disorder (SUD) assessment and throughout the continuum of care, particularly when the patient engages in gambling activities. It is also essential to ensure your organization schedules non-gambling-related leisure activities for patients at risk or diagnosed with GD.

A recent study found that 68% of adult Illinoisans reported gambling in the past year. Statewide, 3.8% of adult Illinoisans have a current gambling problem, and an additional 7.7% are at risk for developing a gambling problem. Together, this is equivalent to over 1.1 million Illinois residents who could potentially benefit from gambling disorder treatment2.

As the lead agency responsible for the prevention and treatment of GD in Illinois, IDHS/SUPR collaborates with and funds 26 organizations across the state to provide GD treatment GD and outreach services. In addition, each organization will sponsor public awareness events and activities for Illinois residents during the month of March. Please visit the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling for a full list of events.

If you or someone you know is experiencing gambling related problems, search under the "Get Help" tab on the We Know the Feeling website for a list of qualified providers offering gambling services in your area or call 1-800-GAMBLER. To find screening events scheduled for March 2022, please visit Illinois Council on Problem Gambling.

For additional information on how to address problem gambling in your organization, please contact Jim Wilkerson, Jim.Wilkerson@illinois.gov  or Kellie Gage, Kellie.Gage@illinois.gov .

  1. Comorbidity of DSM-IV pathological gambling and other psychiatric disorders: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Petry NM, Stinson FS, Grant BF. J Clin Psychiatry. 2005 May; 66(5):564-74
  2. Carliner, H., Auerbach, A., Showalter, E., Reynoso, N., Robertson, N., Rana, P., Flynn, A., Rushman, A., Sanusi, M., Lawson, E., Wolff, L. S. (2021). 2021 Statewide Assessment of Gambling and Problem Gambling in Illinois. Boston, MA: Health Resources in Action.

IL Summit on Problem Gambling:

The Illinois Summit on Problem Gambling will be held between April 5-6th, 2022 at 9:00am CST. To register, please visit Illinois Summit on Problem Gambling.

The state of Illinois is currently in the midst of a historic gambling expansion, making this a crucial time for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling and gambling disorder.

The Illinois Summit on Problem Gambling - Zoom Registration will engage national and local leaders in problem gambling policy and treatment to education policy makers, treatment providers, and educators on issues and trends affecting problem gambling and gambling disorder in Illinois and nationally.

This free, 2-day virtual conference, sponsored by IDHS/SUPR, will provide participants with a comprehensive overview of problem gambling awareness, treatment, and prevention as well as introduce innovative approaches to addressing gambling disorder in the field of addictions.

IL Helpline Webinars:

The Illinois Helpline for Opioids and Other Substances presents Planting the Seeds of Recovery Monthly Online Webinars!

Join from 11:00am-12:00pm on the last Thursday of every month to learn more about the Illinois Helpline. The Helpline is a centralized information and referral hub helping connect individuals to harm reduction, recovery, and support services across the state.

For more information, please contact Bryan Gooding, Helpline Community Outreach and Engagement Coordinator at Bryan.Gooding@phimc.org

Registration: Planting the Seeds of Recovery!

National Prevention Network (NPN) Conference:

The NPN Conference highlights the latest research in the substance use prevention field. It provides a forum for prevention professionals, coalition leaders, researchers, and federal partners to share research, best practices, and promising evaluation results for the purpose of integrating research into prevention practice.

As the NPN Coordinator for Illinois, IDHS/SUPR's Deputy Director Dr. Rafael Rivera, Ph.D, MBA, CADC, CODP II, contends that this is a premier conference in the prevention field. For more information and instructions on how to submit your proposal, visit NPN Conference.

Faces and Voices of Recovery: Upcoming Trainings:

The Illinois Department of Human Services/ Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery (IDHS/SUPR) has partnered with Faces and Voices of Recovery to offer FREE virtual trainings to increase recovery awareness and recovery community organization expansion.

To learn more about the Recovery Project, please visit Faces and Voices of Recovery. A full list of upcoming trainings can be found at Faces and Voices of Recovery Events.

Please share these opportunities with your network! For more information or assistance, please contact Kim Sriner at Kimberly.Sriner@illinois.gov

SAVE THE DATES: 2022 CRSS/CPRS Competency Trainings:

The Illinois Department of Human Services/ Division of Mental Health (IDHS/DMH) will be hosting six virtual Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) and Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) training opportunities in 2022. This training is offered as six half-day trainings and each session will be offered on 3 different days and times to allow participants to select the most convenient time to attend.

Sessions 1, 2, 3 & 4 focus on the Core Domains and Sessions 5 & 6 focus on the Code of Ethics.

Participants will have opportunities to gain knowledge and increase skills and competency during the training. CEU's will be provided within one month following the last training date for each Session. Individuals will get the CEU hours based on their actual attendance and participation in the training (WebEx automates this data). Please see the attached "Save the Dates" for training dates and times. Pre-registration is REQUIRED and will be completed through the WebEx Training platform.

Registration links will be released soon.