New York State Expanding Capacity to Treat Problem Gambling Statewide

ALBANY, NY (07/31/2008)(readMedia)-- New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) Commissioner Karen M. Carpenter-Palumbo awarded eight licensed chemical dependency providers capacity to expand access to care for the treatment of problem gambling statewide.

"On behalf of Governor Paterson, OASAS ensures that those individuals who are suffering from problem gambling have access to the services they need statewide," said Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo. "Of the near one million New Yorkers, including 140,000 adolescents, affected by problem gambling it is important that prevention, treatment and recovery services are available to each and every one."

The following chemical dependency providers now have the faculty to treat for a problem gambling addiction: SAFE Foundation, Kings County; Long Beach Medical Center, Nassau County; Hudson-Mohawk Recovery Center, Rensselaer County; Chautauqua County Department of Mental Hygiene Services, Chautauqua County; Schoharie County Chemical Dependency Clinic, Schoharie County; Genesee Council of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse (GCASA), Orleans County; Fulton County Mental Health Addiction Services; and Hamilton Madison House, Manhattan County.

OASAS' prevalence surveys reveal that 10 percent of adolescents and 5 percent of adults in New York State currently have a gambling problem. To address these concerns, OASAS established a Problem Gambling Policy Committee charged with the development of a three-year comprehensive plan for New York State. The expansion of access to care for problem gambling services was one of the next steps in the state's commitment to ensure access to problem gambling services in all communities in New York State. Problem gambling can have negative financial, criminal and social effects on state residents, and in turn, is a very real public concern.

Commissioner Carpenter-Palumbo recently accepted two awards from the National Council on Problem Gambling for her national leadership and public awareness efforts in addressing the issues of problem gambling affecting New Yorkers. The nomination followed a statewide media campaign launched during National Problem Gambling Awareness Week, March 9-15.

OASAS also continues to move forward on expanding access to problem gambling prevention programming in every county of the state. A planning supplement creating up to 53 new problem gambling prevention providers throughout New York State was just released.

OASAS oversees one of the nation's largest addiction services programs, with 1,550 prevention and treatment providers which serve 110,000 New Yorkers on any given day.

To learn more about the warning signs of problem gambling in New York State, please call the New York Council on Problem Gambling helpline at 1-800-437-1611. For information or assistance with an alcohol or substance abuse problem in New York State, call the addictions helpline at 1-800-522-5353 or go to the OASAS Web Site at www.oasas.state.ny.us.

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