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Milestones



Through the Years:

Highlighting just a few of the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling’s key achievements!

1987
  • Secured legislation to provide funding from state gambling revenue to address problem gambling
  • Established Helpline for callers seeking help with gambling problems

1989
  • Secured legislation requiring posting of notices at all state gambling sites with the Council Helpline number

1994
  • Designed and implemented an annual professional education course, Understanding, Assessing and Treating Compulsive Gambling, offering 60 continuing education units (CEUs) toward certification as a compulsive gambling counselor

1995
  • Established and implemented a regional New England Conference on Problem Gambling – ongoing for eight years
  • Together with the Minnesota Council on Compulsive Gambling, Inc. and Harvard Medical School, Division on Addictions, the Mass. Council sponsored a Think Tank on compulsive gambling entitled, North American Think Tank of Youth Gambling Issues: A Blueprint for Responsible Public Policy in the Management of Compulsive Gambling

1996
  • Developed The WAGER, a weekly gambling research publication in conjunction with Harvard Medical School / Division on Addictions

2000
  • Together with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, Division on Addictions, the Mass. Council sponsored a Think Tank on compulsive gambling entitled, State-Funded Gambling Treatment Programs

2002
  • Created guidebook, Your First Step to Change, for callers unable to utilize traditional self-help or treatment resources

2003
  • Developed evidence-based practice guidelines for clinicians treating compulsive gambling

2004
  • Held the 2004 Massachusetts Conference on Gambling Problems: Towards Evidence-Based Treatment
  • Revamped Council Website
  • Developed Council’s first Annual Report
  • Governor Romney proclaimed Problem Gambling Awareness Week in Massachusetts

     

    2005


    • Held the 2005 Massachusetts Conference on Gambling Problems:   Gambling, Addiction and Society: Exploring the Relationships    
    • Launched premier electronic newsletter, which was sent to 1,500 people
    • Conducted a statewide survey to measure public awareness and attitudes toward gambling disorders.

    2006

    • Held the 2006 Massachusetts Conference on Gambling Problems: Community, Clinical and Personal Approaches
    • Recorded nearly 100,000 visits to its website ~ an average of 265 visits per day
    • Introduced online registration for the conference and trainings

    2007

    • Held the 2007 Massachusetts Conference on Gambling Problems:  Fueling the Fire:  Using Passion to Ignite Change in Gambling Behavior
    • Launched its Prevention Initiative
    • Participated in the Congressional Forum on Gambling: Critical Issues in Prevention and Public Awareness, which took place in Washington D.C.
    • Began offering the Massachusetts Problem Gambling Specialist (MA-PGS) Certificate
    • Launched a new website for parents of young adults www.financialfirststeps.org
    • Introduced its Asian Initiative and formed the Asian Outreach Committee
       

    Other Mass. Council Milestones

    • The Mass. Council has advocated for treatment for problem gamblers that has resulted in a progression of treatment availability in Massachusetts from one site in 1987 to three sites in 1995 to 17 sites in 1998 to the development of a plan in 2003 that will lead to the integration of gambling treatment throughout the substance abuse delivery system.

    • Since 1987, the Council has answered nearly 33,500 calls and referred more than 27,800 people to treatment services.

    • Over the years, the Massachusetts council on Compulsive Gambling has produced and distributed materials targeted to special populations including youth, elderly and minority communities.

    • Over the past 25 years, the Mass. Council has generated and contributed to numerous media stories on problem gambling.