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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 27, 2004 Need grows for gambling treatment, says expert By JACK MORAN Mail Tribune Oregon’s gambling-treatment services are in ever-increasing demand, says Jeff Marotta, a psychologist who overseas the state programs. Whether that’s due to a rise in the number of pathological and problem gamblers in Oregon is debatable. Marotta said he believes the increase is in large part because of aggressive marketing of those programs. "We know access to gambling has increased, and the state deserves credit for working to educate people about how to get help if they develop a problem," he said. "When something good is out there, word spreads." In 1995, the first year Oregon offered treatment to gamblers, 587 people took advantage of those services. In 2003, that number grew to about 1,800, including about 300 family members of people considered pathological or problem gamblers. Advertisement Overall, the number of people enrolling in state-funded gambling treatment programs in Oregon since 1995 has increased, on average, by 40.3 percent each biennium. "The people we see in our treatment programs look like ordinary, hard-working people," Marotta said. "Most worked full time, had good-paying jobs, and many owned their own home and were married with kids. They started out gambling for fun, but when the fun ran out, the gambling continued." The Legislature pledged in 1999 to set aside 1 percent of the Oregon Lottery’s net proceeds for the mandated gambling treatment fund, though the Legislature has not met that minimum funding goal. Still, Oregon’s problem-gambling services received $5.6 million during the 2003-05 biennium. The funding supports 16 regional problem-gambling prevention programs, 25 outpatient programs and a pair of short-term residential programs. Marotta said Gov. Ted Kulongoski has proposed increasing the amount to about $7.8 million for the 2005-07 budget cycle, but it remains to be seen if the Legislature will go along in light of a looming $1 billion budget shortfall. Gambling treatment services likely will need the extra funding, as it is believed the expected introduction of video slots in Oregon will create a fresh influx of gamblers seeking treatment, Marotta said. Exactly how much of an increase there will be — and when it will be seen — is unknown, as studies have shown the average length of time between when a person first develops a gambling- related problem to the time when they seek help is 4.7 years. State problem-gambling services also get about $700,000 annually from the Lottery for advertising and marketing programs. In 2003, Oregon’s "Play Responsibly" campaign generated about 4,400 calls to the state’s problem-gambling help line (877-2-STOP-NOW), which is staffed 24 hours a day by professional counselors with expertise in gambling treatment. Callers are informed that the state’s gambling treatment services are free of charge (for the first 50 hours of treatment) and confidential. They’re also effective. Data provided by the state shows that of gamblers who completed treatment in Oregon, 80 percent of them reported they either no longer gambled or were gambling far less than before treatment. "If the state is in the business of gambling, I think there is a responsibility to help people who develop problems with gambling," Marotta said. "I think Oregon is ahead of the curve, but there is much more that could be done — and much more that should be done. It’s an important public health issue we need to keep an eye on." Reach reporter Jack Moran at 776-4459, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers