Healthcare │ Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling

Training and Development

Healthcare

The FCCG provides professional training for certification as a compulsive gambling counselor, and offers special forums for addiction, mental health, physicians, and others.

Every day compulsive gamblers and those they adversely affect present in doctors’ offices, emergency rooms, substance abuse clinics, and elsewhere with symptoms never attributed to gambling. Despite research linking gambling addiction with a series of other serious to severe health conditions, rarely is the association between poor health and compulsive gambling made. Here in Florida, based upon prevalence studies conducted among adults 18 and older, and with senior citizens ages 55 or more, current problem and compulsive gamblers use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs for non-medical reasons at a greater rate than other groups, and are more likely to report depression. Florida elders are also significantly more likely to rate their physical health only fair or poor.

Similar to other addictive behaviors, problem gambling can be considered a precipitating factor in numerous ailments. Whether it is a mental health problem, increased chemical exposure and dependency, or the overwhelming level of stress and anxiety faced by those experiencing gambling difficulties, one thing is certain: by recognizing early signs of problems and motivating patients or clients to seek help, medical, addiction, mental health and other health care professionals can help bridge the gap between another psychiatric disorder and a physical decline in health. Often, one of these patients is sitting in a health care facility waiting to be seen and hoping to be treated.

The FCCG plays a vital role within the State of Florida. In addition to providing supportive intervention, referrals, and assistance to persons in need of help for a gambling problem, the Agency spends time, energy and resources aiding professionals from a broad spectrum of the marketplace to increase supports to at-risk and addicted populations. More specifically, the organization offers a series of training opportunities to health care professionals of diverse types. It also furnishes training materials and collateral items to support field professionals.

For more information about FCCG training, call our HelpLine (888-ADMIT-IT) or email us. Be sure to check out our Toolkits for medical, addiction and mental health professionals.

COMPULSIVE GAMBLING CREDENTIAL

All FCCG HelpLine referral providers must hold a credential for gambling addiction. The FCCG is a provider of training approved and accredited by the National Council on Problem Gambling, Inc. Such training is a partial requirement towards national certification as a Compulsive Gambling Counselor.

The goal of the FCCG's 60-hour course for mental health, addictions, and other professionals is to train those in the medical and health care fields to assess and treat Florida citizens suffering from the affects of compulsive gambling and to assist family members trying to cope with this addiction.

Certification training continues to be absolutely critical as Florida residents are increasingly presenting in a variety of venues including alcohol and substance abuse programs, mental health agencies, correctional facilities, business environments, hospitals and elsewhere with a primary gambling problem without the benefit of supports by trained personnel. For this reason, the FCCG is working closely with the Florida Certification Board in the development of a Florida specific credential for Gambling Addiction Counselors, which will be unveiled this fiscal year.