The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) announced the recipients for its spring 2023 first round of problem gambling prevention program funding.
Among the five recipients is Cleveland’s Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP), which was awarded $40,000 to launch a program that raises awareness of problem gambling behavior in middle and high school students.
The grant will be a welcome addition to Ohio responsible gambling resources.
Program to educate 100 Hispanic students on problem gambling dangers
According to UMADAOP’s application to the NCPG, it plans to educate 100 Hispanic students on the dangers of at-risk problem-gambling behaviors, with the intention that these youths relate what they’ve learned to their peers and families.
Held in Spanish and English, the program will incorporate components of the Risky Business EBP Program, an award-winning model to educate youth developed at Wright State University as well as elements of the Change the Game Ohio program developed by the Ohio for Responsible Gambling collaborative.
The program is seen as a significant stepping stone in addressing problem gambling in the Buckeye State, where an estimated 15% of Hispanic males aged 18-24 are at risk of developing a gambling disorder.
NPCG’s agility grants to fill gaps in service
All in all, the Council dolled out $193,000 in funding to promote problem gambling prevention initiatives.
This funding comes in the form of Agility Grants, a key NCPG project, that seeks to fill gaps for areas that currently have no such services, as well as bolster promising efforts in existing programs.
The Agility Grant program intends to endow more than $1 million over a span of three years to establish and expand problem gambling prevention efforts nationwide. The grants are funded by a multi-year, multimillion-dollar commitment from the NFL to the NCPG.
Funds for the program are channeled through the NFL Foundation as part of the League’s public awareness initiative designed to inculcate responsible sports betting in fans.
Keith Whyte, NCPG executive director, said in a press release:
“Prevention is the most cost-effective, common-sense way to mitigate gambling-related harm. The prevention programs supported by this round of Agility Grants demonstrate innovative models designed to reach priority populations and elevate new voices within the problem gambling prevention community. We proudly support these initiatives and hope they will serve as models for future prevention efforts.”
Spring 2023 Agility Grant recipients
The NCPG’s spring program received more applications this year than ever before, which made the task of picking award recipients more challenging.
However, to facilitate its work, the organization based its criteria on those programs that focused on prevention innovation, collaborative partnership, community impact, and potential impact of their proposals.
The Spring 2023 Agility Grant awards will back two types of programs: prevention innovation and prevention amplification.
The following three prevention innovation programs have received funding:
- Hispanic Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP) in Ohio aims to raise awareness about problem gambling among middle and high school students.
- The National Alliance on Mental Illness Maryland Chapter (NAMI-MD) plans to team up with three Maryland nonprofits to develop and put on a virtual presentation on mental health and problem gambling for athletes.
- The Nevada Council on Problem Gambling intends to launch a Student-Athlete Gambling Awareness (SAGA) program in various high schools around the Las Vegas area that have high-risk populations.
Agility grants for amplification from this year’s round of funding include:
- Nicasa Behavioral Health Services will receive its second Agility Grant, which will help expand its Teen Problem Gambling Group.
- Student Assistance Services (SAS) in Tarrytown, N.Y, proposes to implement a message campaign targeting at-risk minors throughout Westchester County.
Each year, there are two funding rounds of agility grants. Applications for the fall 2023 funding round will be accepted between July 11 and Aug. 22.
Recipients of those grants will be announced in early October.
Based in Washington D.C., the NCPG is the only national nonprofit organization that seeks to minimize the economic and social costs associated with problem gambling.
Ohio responsible gambling news
In the wake of last month’s Problem Gambling Awareness Month, Ohio is placing increased focus on responsible gambling.
The Ohio Casino Control Commission is stepping up its efforts to “promote responsible gambling practices and provide problem gambling prevention and treatment resources.”
This comes after Amanda Blackford, the OCCC’s director of operations & problem gambling services, gave a presentation last month outlining the, “Who, What, When, Where, and Why of Problem Gambling” in Ohio.
In related news, calls to Ohio’s Problem Gambling Hotline increased by 227%. According to an annual report on hotline calls from Ohio for Responsible Gambling, calls went up from 456 calls in January 2022 to 1,492 in January 2023.
21+ and present in OH. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
