FAQ The following are Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Mass. Council on Compulsive Gambling:
Las siguientes pruguntas son las mas comunes que se le hacen al Consejo de Massachuesetts para el Juego Compulsivo. Para informacion en espaņol, por favor oprima aqui. What is problem gambling? Are the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and Gamblers Anonymous the same organization? Will anyone else ever find out that I called the Council Helpline? How is the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling funded? Do problem gamblers or their family members receive treatment at the Council? Does the Council support or oppose gambling? What is problem gambling? Problem gambling is the term used to cover the entire range of harmful gambling involvement. That is, gambling that results in some kind of negative impact on the person's life or on the lives of the gambler's family, friends, co-workers. It can be an occasional impact or an ongoing and serious situation. The most serious form of problem gambling is pathological gambling, the essential feature of which is "persistent and recurrent maladaptive behavior that disrupts personal, family or vocational pursuits." (American Psychiatric Association, DSM-IV). ...back to top Are the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and Gamblers Anonymous the same organization? Although the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling and Gamblers Anonymous share some common goals, the two organizations are not formally connected. Gamblers Anonymous (GA) is a 12-Step Self-Help Group dedicated to helping people with gambling problems. Other self-help groups that the Council often refers Helpline callers to are Bettors Anonymous and Gam-Anon (for family and friends of compulsive gamblers). For more information and a list of meeting times, please click on the appropriate link. ...back to top Will anyone else ever find out that I called the Council Helpline? The Helpline and all contact with the Council is strictly confidential. This means:
How is the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling funded? Since 1987, the Massachusetts Legislature has made a commitment to responsible gambling-related public policy for the Commonwealth and ensured that funding from the Massachusetts State Lottery and the Massachusetts Racing Commission is allocated to provide compulsive gambling education and treatment. These funds are managed by the Department of Public Health / Bureau of Substance Abuse Services. In addition, the Council accepts private donations and charitable trusts and bequests, and has received project-specific grants from private organizations and companies. The Council also accepts private donations and charitable trusts and bequests. ...back to top Do problem gamblers or their family members receive treatment at the Council? While the Council listens to callers concerns about problem gambling and provides information and referrals to self-help groups and treatment sites, it does not provide counseling. Treatment is available at statewide DPH/BSAS Outpatient Treatment Centers and through private practice clinicians. (In a survey conducted in 2001, eleven out of thirteen health insurance companies in Massachusetts covered all treatment services requested for clients with gambling problems. Through funding from the MA Department of Public Health, treatment is available for people who do not have insurance coverage or finances to pay for treatment out of pocket. For more information, please contact the Council at 1-800-426-1234). ...back to top Does the Council support or oppose gambling? The Council neither supports nor opposes gambling. It recognizes that most people gamble for entertainment, and do so with minimal interruption to their lives. However, it also recognizes that there are those for whom gambling becomes extremely problematic. ...back to top |