PROBLEM GAMBLING: A Guide for Helping People Experiencing Poverty
TORONTO, May 9, 2017 /CNW/ - In his more than a decade working at Good Shepherd Ministries, a homeless shelter in Toronto, Aklilu Wendaferew had seen many clients with a history of problem gambling. But it was not until a comprehensive study of those clients was done that he realized the full scope of the problem.
The study at the St. Michael's Hospital's Centre for Urban Health Solutions—formerly the Centre for Research on Inner City Health —found that more than one-third of people living in homeless shelters have a history of problem gambling. That is nine times higher than the general population.
"We were not fully aware it was that bad," says Wendaferew. "It was a big shock. We realized we needed to do something about this."
That ultimately led to a unique collaboration between St. Michael's Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael's Hospital, Good Shepherd Ministries and the Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. The result – a new guide for service providers to help people struggling with poverty and homelessness.
Dr. Flora Matheson, who has a PhD in Sociology, conducted the original study and led a collaborative follow-up study to develop the content of the guide. She says it was designed to help service providers at homeless shelters adapt the skills they already have to the issue of gambling.
"They were concerned that they didn't have the knowledge, the education or the training to provide that service to their clients," says Dr. Matheson of the Centre for Urban Health Solutions. "The idea behind this guide is, you already talk to your clients about substance use, you can have the same type of conversation with your clients about gambling."
As the guide explains, many of the same strategies used to help clients with substance use issues can also be applied to problem gambling, which is considered a behavioural addiction that has much in common with substance abuse and other addictions. Studies have shown that gambling can increase levels in the brain of Dopamine, the neurotransmitter responsible for feelings of pleasure and reward.
Another benefit of the guide, says co-author Beth Murray of the Problem Gambling Institute of Ontario at CAMH, is that clients already being treated for other addiction or mental illness issues can get help for their problem gambling at the same time.
"Many clients do not want to access these services at another agency," says Murray. "This guide will help them start the conversation about gambling concerns. The handbook provides information about signs of problem gambling, and tips on how to support people to reduce harms, cut down or quit. It is important for service providers to make it part of their routine practice to ask clients about gambling and make it part of their assessment and screening."
For front line service providers like Wendaferew, the guide is a valuable tool to help his clients get their lives back on track.
"It helps to build capacity for us to respond to this very serious problem," says Wendaferew. "It has tools that help us make a greater impact working with a homeless population that requires a lot of support to get off the street."
Problem Gambling: A Guide for Helping People Experiencing Poverty, was developed as part of a research study funded by Gambling Research Exchange Ontario.
For more information visit: GamblingandPoverty.ca
To order copies of the handbook email: [email protected]
ABOUT THE CENTRE FOR ADDICTION AND MENTAL HEALTH: The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) is Canada's largest mental health and addiction teaching hospital, as well as one of the world's leading research centres in the area of addiction and mental health. CAMH combines clinical care, research, education, policy development and health promotion to help transform the lives of people affected by mental health and addiction issues. CAMH is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto, and is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization Collaborating Centre. For more information, please visit www.camh.ca or follow us on twitter @CAMHnews
About St. Michael's Hospital
St. Michael's Hospital provides compassionate care to all who enter its doors. The hospital also provides outstanding medical education to future health care professionals in 27 academic disciplines. Critical care and trauma, heart disease, neurosurgery, diabetes, cancer care, care of the homeless and global health are among the hospital's recognized areas of expertise. Through the Keenan Research Centre and the Li Ka Shing International Healthcare Education Centre, which make up the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, research and education at St. Michael's Hospital are recognized and make an impact around the world. Founded in 1892, the hospital is fully affiliated with the University of Toronto.
Good Shepherd Ministries is a registered charity located in downtown Toronto. Founded in 1963, Good Shepherd Ministries operates Toronto's largest free meal program as well as providing shelter, clothing, medical care, and other vital services for people struggling with homelessness and poverty. For more information, please visit www.goodshepherd.ca or follow us on Twitter @goodshepherd_to.
SOURCE Centre for Addiction and Mental Health
For further information: MEDIA INQUIRIES: Sean O'Malley, Senior Media Relations Specialist, CAMH Public Affairs, [email protected], 416-595-6015; Kelly O'Brien, Communications Adviser - Media, 416-864-5047, [email protected]; Aklilu Wendaferew, Assistant Executive Director, 416.869.3619 x 263, [email protected]
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