Problem gambling council back on track
Pub Date: 3/1/2007
One year ago, the Board of Directors of the Montana Council on Problem Gambling (MCPG) was projecting a deficit by the end of September as use of the group's services continued to expand.
Even state funding was considered at a meeting in April 2006, though the apparent and substantial new expense for administrative oversight and overhead soon squelched that idea.
Instead, the Council decided to see if private sources of funding could shore up finances. The Montana Tavern Association, The Gaming Industry Association of Montana, the Montana Coin Machine Operators Association and Town Pumps the organizations that have historically provided the bulk of the Council's funding were approached to increase their annual contributions.
All agreed and another $36,000 was quickly pledged.
In addition, Council representatives explored other potential avenues of private funding, including lodging a request with intralot, the state lottery's services and equipment provider. At a November meeting of the state Gaming Advisory Council, intralot presented Montana Atty. Gen. Mike McGrath with a check for $25,000 to pass along to help the Council meet its mission.
Today, MCPG Executive Director Donna Johnson and Board Chairman Mark Kennedy say they are breathing a little easier and actually have money in the bank to pay future expenses related to a growing demand for services.
The Council was founded back in 2000 in response to public expectations that treatment was needed for those who experienced problems due to compulsive gambling behaviors. Over the years the Legislature had turned down several measures that would have provided state funding, so gaming businesses decided to fund a campaign themselves through the MCPG.
The programs offered seven years ago were humble beginnings, with just nine licensed treatment providers conducting 110 group therapy sessions for 210 participants, according to the MCPG.
During 2006, 31 providers had conducted 1,172 therapy sessions serving 3,003 participants. Programs and participation in them have grown as campaigns to increase awareness have produced results.
The group also provides outreach and education on problem gambling issues, but as importantly provides training sessions for clinicians and those seeking to be certified. Just such a session will be conducted April 20-21 in Helena (see sidebar).
As awareness of problem gambling grows, so does the therapy opportunities offered by the MCPG. But beyond help for the problem gambler, Johnson hopes to be able to offer some family counseling sessions and one-on-one help when necessary.
Toward that end, she has moved cautiously in introducing family treatment options, always cognizant of budgetary restraints. This is an important step, she says, "because the family is the avenue many gamblers use to get into treatment," and because "the families are hurting, too. The family sees the need."
Johnson says families need to be able to get counseling, whether the member with the problem seeks help or not. "We can counsel them on how they need to cope and get the gambler to treatment," she says.
Johnson says that option has just seen a limited introduction and is on a go-slow track until costs can be ascertained, maybe six months down the road. And individual therapy is being used in some cases, especially in small towns where a group setting would be too inhibiting, she says.
"We're one of the first states offering family therapy," Johnson says, noting Montana has taken an innovative approach from the beginning. "We have a unique system. We use local mental health counselors so we aren't burdened with all the bricks and mortar overhead.
"I'm so proud of what Montana does," Johnson says. "The gaming business community has been great to work with, too."
She is planning to travel to Washington, D.C., soon for a meeting of the National Council on Problem Gambling, and while there has scheduled meetings with Montana's Congressional delegation. She says she is also proud of the progress made in building the MCPG web-site and the traffic volume growth the site is experiencing: in January 2,283 visitors, with 1,303 them unique, and 4,136 page views. She is also publishing an electronic newsletter.
She said she is determined to begin a methodical gathering of treatment case data, but that she will have to be content as this comes along slowly. "It's difficult gathering and collating the data," she says.
While Johnson shoulders a pretty hefty load, she simply says, "I'm doing it and I'm not overwhelmed. We're keeping costs down so we can provide more treatment with less overhead," though she is quick to acknowledge the contributions of her board of directors.
Tom Oberweiser, a Gambling Control Division investigations district supervisor, has recently joined the MCPG board. Also on the board are Rich Miller, Cynthia Breen, John Regan, Loren Walker and Kennedy.
Kennedy is a veteran of the hospitality business having owned and operated a restaurant/tavern/casino in Billings for a number of years. He sold that business and moved into the investment counseling field. He joined the MCPG board in 2001 and became its chairman in 2002.
He recalls the Council's position one year ago: "We were robbing Peter to pay Paul. We did run out of money" last fall before the pledges started to come in. Kennedy notes the Yellowstone County Tavern Association, Summit Gaming, IGT, Fleetwood and others stepped up to help in the pinch, too.
"Right now We're about two-and-a-half to three months ahead of expenses," Kennedy says. "That's some breathing room. intralot's contribution which I understand is to be annual and an equal match with other chief program sponsors was a real big help."
Kennedy is effusive in his praise of Johnson. "We were lucky the day she walked into our lives. She has made my job so much easier, especially on the fiscal, financial side, but also in guiding our overall direction. She has a list of goals and objectives she's quietly, patiently set about achieving, but she's not building a kingdom. We're very frugal. It's about getting the service to those who need it," Kennedy says.
"She's very good at networking with the counselors and at setting up the training conferences. I know so much more about this issue of gambling addiction, thanks to Donna."
He also ackowleges that Johnson continues with her own part-time therapy practice and some day may pursue that full-time, so the potential to work through a leadership transition is on his mind as well. "She's not going to do it forever," he says.
When it comes the future, Kennedy says the council would like to expand education and awareness efforts and family counseling, though quickly acknowledges that would lead to increased demand for services, then to a need to increase funding. "We have to always look at the back end of the proposition," he said.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, March. 2007, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.