FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE		    CONTACTS:  David B. Hooper, OSL
June 24, 2002								         503-540-1015
								Dr. Jeffrey Marotta, DHS
								        503-373-1650 ext 226

STATE of OREGON WINS “GOVERNMENT AWARD” 
From NATIONAL COUNCIL on PROBLEM GAMBLING

Oregon Lottery and Department of Human Services Receive National Award For Innovations and Achievements in Addressing Problem Gamlbing 

SALEM:  The Oregon Lottery and Department of Human Services were joint recipients of the Government Award category during the National Council on Problem Gambling’s annual convention.  In announcing its selection of the State of Oregon, NCPG Awards Chair Jerry Bauerkemper stated, “It is particularly appropriate that both these state agencies receive this award because their partnership approach to addressing the issue of problem gambling is fundamental to their mutual success.”

The Oregon Lottery was recognized by the NCPG for its proactive efforts, including its series of public awareness outreach campaigns, ongoing funding of independent scientific research and its leadership in drafting and passing legislation that dedicates millions of dollars in Lottery funds each year for prevention, education and treatment of problem gambling.  “The Oregon Lottery’s public awareness outreach campaigns have become excellent examples for others in the industry to emulate” said Mr. Bauerkemper.

The Oregon Department of Human Services was honored for its commitment to both excellence and innovation in the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.  Within the past year, DHS adopted a public health approach to problem gambling and in the process greatly expanded services.  For example, funds are now provided to local governments to better integrate community prevention efforts with local treatment programs, the problem gambling help-line (877 2-STOP NOW) was redesigned to provide better service to callers and a self-change program was introduced to assist less severe problem gamblers.  Furthermore, short-term residential treatment programs were opened, and an extensive evaluation and quality improvement system was launched.

“The efforts in Oregon have shown us how building partnerships work for both deterring the development of gambling problems and getting help to problem gamblers and their families,” according to Mr. Bauerkemper.

Oregon is one of approximately 30 states that invest public funds into the treatment and/or prevention of gambling problems. By law, no less than 1% of Lottery net proceeds is dedicated to the prevention and treatment of problem gambling.  This equates to approximately $3.5 million per year in the 2001-03 biennium.  These funds are used to operate a problem gambling help-line, 27 outpatient treatment programs, 17 regional prevention programs, and three residential treatment programs.
OSL – DHS NCPG Award News Release - June 24, 2002

Last summer, the Oregon Lottery, the Oregon Department of Human Services, and their local government partners launched a coordinated set of new ads and services for problem gamblers.  Those efforts resulted in a 40% increase in the number of individuals accessing state-funded gambling treatment.  With an estimated 3,765 Oregonians receiving services this biennium, per capita, Oregon treats more problem gamblers than any other state.  Additionally, recent prevalence studies suggest that there are fewer people developing gambling problem than there were five years ago.  “Jurisdictions from across the globe are looking to Oregon for innovative and effective approaches to reduce the negative effects of gambling” said Jeff Marotta, Ph.D., Problem Gambling Services Manager with DHS.

Prevalence studies conducted by the independent Oregon Gambling Addiction Treatment Foundation in 1997 and 2000 helped to ascertain and monitor the extent of problem gambling in Oregon.  The 1997 study found that 3.3% of adult Oregonians were problem gamblers.  The replication study conducted in 2000 found that the prevalence rate for problem gambling was at 2.3%.  Copies are available at www.gamblingaddiction.org.

Dr. Rachael Volberg, an internationally recognized expert who conducted the studies, stated the apparent decline in the prevalence in problem gambling could be attributed to several factors.  Amongst those were the State’s investments in providing five years of stable funding for public awareness and treatment of problem gambling.

Even though great strides have been taken, problem gambling remains a serious issue in Oregon.  Based on the prevalence research and the State’s statistics that track treatment, one in 20 Oregonians is either a problem gambler or a live-in family member of a problem gambler.  Dr. Marotta explained, “Problem gambling has an insidious nature that makes it difficult to identify and treat.  Most problem gamblers don’t call our help-line until months after they realize they have a gambling problem and a great deal of damage has been done.  Fortunately, our messages and programs are slowly working and more and more individuals are making good choices before catastrophic harm occurs.  Gambling treatment programs in Oregon are confidential, free, and designed to be respectful and sensitive to a persons individual needs.”

Gamblers or their family members who need assistance with problem gambling should call 1-877-2-STOP-NOW, the statewide toll-free help-line for assessment, counseling and referral to either the home-based telephone counseling assistance program or to local treatment centers.

OREGON LOTTERY

Examples from the Oregon Lottery’s long history of involvement in the prevention and treatment of problem gambling behavior include:

•	The Oregon Gambling Addiction Treatment Foundation (OGATF), which is the Oregon affiliate to the NCPG, was founded through a joint initiative of the Oregon Lottery, an Indian Gaming Center, county mental health programs, private-sector treatment providers and other special interest groups.

•	Research:  The Oregon Lottery contributes approximately $50,000 per year to the OGATF to help fund independent, scientific research on the nature and prevalence of problem gambling.  Major research projects funded in large part by the Oregon Lottery include two Prevalence Studies (1997 and 2000), Youth Gambling (1998), Older Adult Gambling (1999), and the Etiology of Disordered Gambling (2002).  Copies are available at www.gamblingaddiction.org.

•	Public Awareness Campaigns:  The Oregon Lottery expends about $600,000 per year (10% of its advertising budget) on TV, radio and print advertising about the nature of problem gambling, its warning signs and the state-funded treatment that is available across Oregon.  These campaigns are developed in conjunction with the Dept. of Human Services-Problem Gambling Services, the OGATF, treatment providers and recovering problem gamblers.  Brochures and posters re problem gambling are available at all Lottery retailers, and the 800 problem gambling number is posted in all video lottery retail establishments.  The Oregon Lottery has also produced a 10-minute video tape to help educate the general public about the nature of problem gambling, its warning signs and the state-funded treatment that is available.  This tape is also used along with a second tape to help educate retailers about the Lottery’s expectations that they act as good corporate citizens (e.g.: through intervention).

•	Legislation:  The Oregon Lottery took a lead role in developing the legislative concept that would dedicate not less than 1% of its annual net proceeds for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling (approximately $3 million/year, a 50% increase over previous funding levels); and coordinated support for the bill with other state/county agencies, industry lobbyists and elected officials.  This bill (SB 118) was passed into law in 1999 and, for the first time, gives the state and county problem gambling treatment programs stable funding.

•	Rules & Policies:  The Oregon Lottery has adopted a series of rules and policies designed to minimize the potential impact of its games on problem gamblers.  These include limits on maximum wagers and top prizes per hand in video lottery games ($2 and $600 respectively); excluding video lottery game features which could prolong play (e.g.: excessive graphic stimuli, excessive interactivity, excessive speed-of-play, etc.); no mass media advertising of video lottery games; penalties -including contract termination- for retailers who sell to under age players or Visibly Intoxicated Persons; and annual audits of retailers to ensure the sale of video lottery games is not the dominant use or dominant purpose of the establishment (i.e. video lottery games are to be only an adjunct to the establishment’s core business of selling food and beverage)

Problem Gambling Services Unit
Office of Mental Health and Addiction Services
Accomplishments for FY 2001-2002
	
Executive Summary of Accomplishments:

•	The number of individuals accessing state-funded gambling treatment in the state is 40% higher than the number accessing treatment during the same period last year.  Approximately 1700 Oregonians were provided gambling treatment services in FY 2001-2002.

•	The Oregon Problem Gambling Help-Line is on track to receive 50% more calls this biennium compared to last biennium.  In fiscal year 2001-02 the Problem Gambling Help-Line assisted 4800 callers. 

•	New performance based contracting was instituted that resulted in a 48% increase in cost efficiency.  The average cost per treatment episode dropped from $1,855 in fiscal year 2000-01 to $971 in fiscal year 2001-02.  Treatment success rates dropped slightly from 32% to 28%.  These success rates are on par with outcome rates from the alcohol and drug treatment field.

•	The nations first telephone based problem gambling intervention program was launched.  This program was designed to assist less severe problem gamblers change before problems escalated into catastrophic harm.  The program has demonstrated early success. 

•	Three new short-term residential programs were launched to assist pathological gamblers in crisis and ready them for outpatient gambling treatment.

•	Problem gambling prevention and outreach efforts increased 400%.  The number of regional problem gambling prevention programs increased from two to 17 and expands across the State. 

•	Nearly every month this biennium, at least one problem gambling training, workshop, or conference was organized and funded by DHS.  Approximately 320 people attended a total of 14 DHS problem gambling training events.

•	The number of Oregon Certified Gambling Counselors increased from 8 last year to 34 as of June 10, 2002.

Problem Gambling Treatment Utilization:  2001-2003 

Actual data plus estimates for 2001-2003 Biennium