March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month, which underscores the challenges of problem gambling and available resources through programs such as Wheeler’s Bettor Choice Gambling Treatment Program.
Wheeler’s program is one of five gambling-specific treatment programs funded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).
“Problem gambling has long been an issue,” said Katie Kirch, LCSW, ICGC-II, BACC, clinical supervisor, Wheeler’s Bettor Choice Gambling Treatment Program. “With the rollout of legalized online sports betting in Connecticut and the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, residents may need even more support to address emerging or escalating challenges.”
Kirch added that statistically, rates of problem gambling double when people are within a certain proximity of a gambling establishment. With immediate access to cell phones and computers, and the issue of proximity removed, Connecticut residents are at a much greater risk for developing unhealthy behaviors.
Wheeler’s Bettor Choice Gambling Treatment program offers individual, group, marital, and family therapy; financial and peer recovery support; access to medication and linkages to other services; budget counseling for individuals struggling with problem gambling, as well as for their loved ones; and tailored care plans to meet specific needs.
Wheeler’s program serves people in Avon, Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Farmington, New Britain, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington, Glastonbury, East Hartford, Hartford, Manchester, Rockville, South Windsor, and Vernon.
Wheeler’s Bettor Choice Gambling Treatment Program has operated with support from DMHAS since 1996. Programs are offered through Wheeler’s Family Health & Wellness Centers at 43 Woodland Street, Hartford; 40 Hart Street in New Britain; and 10 North Main Street in Bristol.
To learn more about Wheeler’s Bettor Choice Gambling Treatment Program, visit: WheelerHealth.org/BettorChoice or call: 860.692.8857.
Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
The Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services is a health care agency whose mission is to promote the overall health and wellness of persons with behavioral health needs through an integrated network of holistic, comprehensive, effective, and efficient services and supports that foster dignity, respect, and self-sufficiency in those we serve. While the Department’s prevention services serve all Connecticut citizens, its mandate is to serve adults (over 18 years of age) with psychiatric or substance use disorders, or both, who lack the financial means to obtain such services on their own. Visit the DMHAS website at: www.ct.gov/dmhas.
Wheeler Family Health & Wellness Centers
Wheeler’s Family Health & Wellness Centers in Bristol, Hartford, New Britain, Plainville, and Waterbury offer integrated primary care and behavioral health care, addiction treatment, and complementary approaches to care.
Wheeler’s Family Health & Wellness Centers are funded in part by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an operating division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Wheeler is a Health Center Program grantee under 42 U.S.C. 254b and a deemed Public Health Service employee under 42 U.S.C. 233(g)-(n).
Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial health insurance welcome. No patient will be denied health care services due to an individual’s inability to pay for services. Improvements to the Family Health & Wellness Center in Hartford are supported in part by the State of Connecticut Nonprofit Grant Program, the Connecticut Health & Educational Facilities Authority, the Maximilian E. and Marion O. Hoffman Foundation, and the Ensworth Charitable Foundation. Additional support is provided by Delta Dental of New Jersey Foundation.
Wheeler
Wheeler provides comprehensive solutions that address complex health issues, providing individuals, families, and communities with accessible, innovative care that encourages recovery, health, and growth at all stages of life. Our integrated approach to primary and behavioral health, education, and recovery creates measurable results, positive outcomes, and hopeful tomorrows for more than 50,000 individuals across Connecticut each year. Learn more: WheelerHealth.org