OAPCG’s annual conference on problem gambling will feature four nationally recognized speakers over four days in March.
All sessions will take place from 10:00 to 11:30 am. The cost is $15 per session or $60 for the conference.
March 5
Relationships and Gambling Disorder: The Gentle and Firm Hands of Compassion, with Lori Rugle, PhD, ICGC-II/BACC
March 12
Addressing Health Disparities and Building Equity: Revolutionizing a Path Forward, with Victor Ortiz (MSW, LADC-I, CADC-II)
March 19
“Tune In or Out of Tune?! Culturally Attuned Gambling Disorders Treatment, Prevention, and Wellness,” with Deborah Haskins (PhD, ICGC-II, BACC)
March 26
“Using Technology with Gambling Disorder Clients,” with Jody Bechtold (LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC)
Presentation Descriptions
March 5
Relationships and Gambling Disorder: The Gentle and Firm Hands of Compassion, with Lori Rugle, PhD, ICGC-II/BACC
Families and loved ones living with the issue of problem gambling experience a broad range painful harms including financial, emotional, social and spiritual and are often left feeling shame and isolation. They often do not know where to turn for help, support and understanding. Mindfulness-based compassion practices can be key in addressing the needs of families at this critical junction. While compassion is often understood to include kindness and empathy, the firm (or fierce) aspect of compassion also includes the ability to say no to unreasonable requests, to learn to not reinforce gambling behaviors, and to hold steady in the presence of a loved one’s struggle and suffering. This webinar will focus on how the evidence-based treatments such as Community Reinforcement and Family Treatment and other behavioral family counseling strategies combine compassion-based, motivational and behavioral perspectives can be applied to those living with gambling disorder.
March 12
Addressing Health Disparities and Building Equity: Revolutionizing a Path Forward, with Victor Ortiz (MSW, LADC-I, CADC-II)
Problem gambling is governed by a complex set of interrelated factors, causes, and determinants ranging from biology and family history to social norms and existing statutes (Messerlian, Derevensky, & Gupta, 2005). Research indicates that gambling is interrelated with various health issues and disproportionately impacts individuals with mental health disorders, substance misuse disorders (Kessler, Hwang, Petukhova, Sampson, Winters, & Shaffer, 2008) and communities of color (Alegria, Petry, Hasin, Liu, Grant, & Blanco, 2009). Historically, community-level experiences of gambling and communities of color are often not the focus of problem gambling services and efforts. Preliminary research indicates that ethnic and racial minorities have higher rates of gambling problems than the adult general population (Barry, Stefanovics, Desai, Potenza, 2011).
This presentation will explore key factors that contribute to and maintain health disparities in problem gambling research and practice. Additionally, this presentation will provide strategies and resources to building health equity in order to mitigate harms associated with gambling.
Impact
Participants of the presentation will gain insight to the foundational elements of health disparities and strategies to promote equity within prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery supports. It will provide resources in the planning and practice when working with priority populations.
Objectives
- Participants will be able to identify key factors that contribute to health disparities and its relationship to problem gambling.
- Participants will be able to identify strategies in building and promoting health equity.
- Participants will be able to identify resources.
March 19
“Tune In or Out of Tune?! Culturally Attuned Gambling Disorders Treatment, Prevention, and Wellness,” with Deborah Haskins (PhD, ICGC-II, BACC)
Description: The field of disordered gambling has advanced but many still lag in using updated best practices to address cultural realities. COVID-19 and social injustices in this past year to present highlights cultural challenges that also affect gamblers, affected others and communities. This session will include best practice updates and challenge gambling disorder advocates to ensure our services are “in tune” and culturally attuned.
Objectives
- Understand influence of cultural context in the lives of gamblers, affected others, and communities.
- Define cultural attunement and application of Hoskins (1999) and Oakes (2011) Cultural Attunement Model to disordered gambling wellness.
- Challenge disordered gambling advocates and professionals to modify treatment, prevention and community wellness to support cultural realities in gambling recovery.
March 26
“Using Technology with Gambling Disorder Clients,” with Jody Bechtold (LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC)
This workshop will review HIPAA compliant ways to integrate technology with your clients to aid in harm reduction or abstinence-based recovery for problem gambling. We will review the generational characteristics (Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, & Gen Z) and how they impact clinical services. Learn about various software and technology solutions that you can incorporate into your clinical practice with individuals with gambling and other addictive disorders.
Goals & Objectives
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Articulate the different generational characteristics and how they impact clinical services through the use of technology.
- Identify ways to incorporate technology in the treatment of problem gamblers using apps and podcasts for problematic and disordered gambling recovery.
- Understand why online meetings for disordered gambling are gaining popularity.
About the Presenters
Lori Rugle, PhD, ICGC-II/BACC, brings 35 + years of experience to her work field of problem and responsible gambling including treatment, prevention, research and responsible gambling. She is certified in Meditation and Psychotherapy and has had a personal practice for the past 25 years.
Lori is a white privileged, boomer generation, cisgendered, heterosexual, buddhist woman of biological and adoptive eastern European ancestry who currently lives on the ancestral land of the Erie and Iroquois people. In her 36 years of working with problem gambling she has had amazing opportunities to learn from courageous people addressing gambling disorder and those in recovery, from creative clinicians, from dedicated advocates, from brilliant researchers and academics and from experts on reducing gambling’s harms and those in the gambling industry. A firm believer in “learning never ends,” she recently obtained her International Certificate in Gaming Disorder and has completed a two year course in deepening meditation teaching skills. She is deeply grateful for the incredible meaningful life’s work the field of problem gambling has offered her and the many, many benefactors and friends she has discovered along this path.
Victor Ortiz, MSW, LADC I, CADC II
Victor Ortiz is a social worker with over twenty five years of experience in the development of programs and services in the area of addiction, youth development, child welfare, and behavioral health. He has worked extensively with a wide range of populations, especially in addressing health disparities, promoting equity and social justice. Victor has served in various professional positions aimed at improving access, and advocacy of care for individuals and families.
In 2009, Victor received his BSW from Anna Maria College; He was recognized for academic excellence while serving as a mentor to many students seeking professional guidance. Victor received national scholarship recognition from the National Association of Social Workers and The Council on Social Work Education for his many years of advocacy in the Latinx community. In 2010, Victor received his MSW from Simmons College School of Social Work. Victor’s professional and personal experiences have contributed to many op-eds and publications, and was a contributor in the book: Responsible Gambling: Primary Stakeholders Perspective.
Victor is a nationally recognized speaker, trainer, and educator in the areas of addiction, gambling disorders, and health disparities and equity. Victor is currently the Director of the Office of Problem Gambling Services at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
Deborah G. Haskins, Ph.D., LCPC, ACS, MAC, ICGC II
Owner, MOSAIC Consulting and Counseling Services, LLC
Retired Associate Professor/Director of Counseling Programs in the School of Education at Trinity Washington University.
President, Maryland Council on Problem Gambling
Dr. Haskins is a retired Counselor Educator (25 years) and received her Ph.D. in Pastoral Counseling (Loyola College, Maryland now Loyola University MD), a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, and an Approved Supervisor (MD). Dr. Haskins is an Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor- II, Board Approved Clinical Consultant, International Clergy Lay Problem Gambling and Spiritual Outreach, and Master Addictions Counselor. She is President of the Maryland Council on Problem Gambling and is a recognized leader for over 20 years in disordered gambling. Dr. Haskins has trained mental health professionals in the U.S. and abroad to understand disordered gambling and provide culturally-relevant services. Her expertise and publications include gambling disorders and cultural competency and social justice attuned mental health/wellness. She assists practitioners and faith and spiritual communities with incorporating “mental health delivery beyond traditional formats.” She previously served on the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board and the Maryland Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists. She received the National Council on Problem Gambling 2017 Don Hulen Annual Award for advocacy leadership. She serves on the Board of Ordained Ministry(Co-chair Psychological Review) and the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ACA, 2019-2022). Her current efforts include equipping faith/spiritual communities to support disordered gambling and homicidal loss/trauma advocacy and trainings.
Jody Bechtold, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, PC is a highly regarded gambling addiction expert working extensively across the globe with individuals, organizations, and associations. She is the CEO of The Better Institute, a group practice located in Pittsburgh. She is the co-author of The Gambling Disorder Treatment Handbook: A Guide for Mental Health Professionals and 2 chapters in the Social Work Desk Reference v 4 on Gambling and Gaming Disorders, published in 2021. She serves as the Vice President of the board for the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board (IGCCB). Jody holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Social Work and has certifications as a Board-Approved Clinical Consultant (BACC) and Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor Level II (ICGC-II) with the IGCCB. When Jody isn’t working, you can find her providing pet therapy with her dog, Hanna, and supporting her husband’s business, Pittsburgh Guitars.