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September 7, 2016Problem Gambling Training Partnership to Host Conference in the Capital Region
The Problem Gambling Training Partnership, a new multi-year collaboration of mental health associations, is hosting an exclusive conference for counseling professionals on the assessment and treatment of problem gambling on September 8 and 9 at Proctors Theatre in Schenectady, NY.
This is the third event in a series of training conferences hosted by the Partnership across the state, with an estimated attendance of over 150. Mental health professionals already working with clients experiencing gambling disorder to those wishing to gain a better understanding of problem gambling and how it impacts the lives of their clients will benefit from this unique, first-of-its-kind training opportunity.
“The work that will be done through this collaboration is going to educate and train the state’s counseling professionals on best practices related to problem gambling treatment. Through these education efforts, New Yorkers will benefit from an increase in access to treatment services. We are excited to be a part of this project and the associated training events,” said James J. Maney, Executive Director of New York Council on Problem Gambling.
The 2016 PGTP conferences are free and approved for social workers’ continuing education credit hours and OASAS CASAC, CPP, and CRCC (Commission on Rehabilitation Counselor Certification) clock hours. The Schenectady event is the third of four conferences offered across the state. Other training locations included White Plains and Long Island, held in April and May respectively. The 2015-2016 Problem Gambling Training Conference is scheduled to conclude in Rochester in October 2016. The conferences are held in some of the areas in which casino licenses were recently approved across New York State.
Each two-day conference will bring leading experts in the field of problem gambling to host a series of workshops. These professionals include researchers, licensed mental health practitioners, and health and human service workers in the field of addictions and prevention from various sectors of the mental health profession. Said sectors include social work, marriage and family therapy, psychoanalysis, and mental health counseling.
At the conclusion of this free event, practitioners will walk away with continuing education credit hours and an enhanced ability to treat gambling disorder and learn how to become eligible to receive referrals for problem gambling treatment.
“As the expansion of casino gambling became a reality in New York, we recognized the need to proactively address the strong potential uptick in problem gambling. As representatives of the state’s largest provider of mental health services, we set about co-developing the Problem Gambling Training Partnership; a comprehensive training curriculum that will enhance the state’s capacity to respond to problem gambling,” said Ron Bunce, Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers – New York State Chapter. “We are very proud of this program and look forward to delivering it across the state.”
The PGTP Conferences aim to provide mental health professionals with the most up-to-date research and educational resources to help mitigate and address gambling disorder. Workshops and presentations will cover a wide range of subjects from introductory overview of the issue to advanced clinical trainings. Conferences will also feature the workshop debut of Cognitive Motivational Behavior Therapy, which will be presented for the very first time.
“This program will provide New Yorkers who may be struggling with problem gambling issues with information about qualified and licensed mental health and addiction counselors in their community,” said Judith L. Ritterman, Executive Director of the New York Mental Health Counselors Association. “Investing in the education of licensed mental health and addiction treatment professionals shows New York’s commitment to treatment for those with problem gambling issues. Licensed mental health counselors here in New York have a unique opportunity to take a comprehensive two-day training that will add to their skill-set and prepare them to treat problem gamblers and their loved ones.”
“This is an important opportunity for mental health professionals to access a unique and innovative curriculum on a subject that affects many New Yorkers statewide. This initiative has collaborated with researchers and clinicians to bring the best possible treatment options across disciplines within the counseling professions,” said Carol Podgorski, President of the New York Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. “We are thrilled to deliver a lineup of expert presentations and speakers.”
Funded by the New York State Office of Alcohol and Substance Abuse Services (NYS OASAS), the Problem Gambling Training Partnership is an unprecedented statewide initiative to train licensed mental health professionals and better enable them to deliver problem gambling treatment and support services.
“As one of the many compulsive and addictive behaviors that contribute to mental suffering, problem gambling presents unique clinical features for the clinician that require special focus and sensitivity. The training being offered by the Problem Gambling Training Partnership is a unique instructional option for preparing clinicians to address the particular issues confronted by the problem gambler. These educational opportunities prepare counselors for potential treatments in the future; offering individuals positive and long-term therapeutic resolutions,” said Jennifer Harper, Chair of Legislative Affairs at the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis.
The Problem Gambling Training Partnership is a joint collaboration formed by the New York Council on Problem Gambling, the National Association of Social Workers – New York State Chapter, the New York Mental Health Counselors Association, the New York Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, and the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis. The aforementioned associations represent nearly 11,000 counseling professionals across New York State.
To learn more or to register for the Problem Gambling Training Partnership event in Schenectady, visit www.nypgtp.org.
