Problem Gambling Foundation of New ZealandUpdates on our contracted services

Introductions

Bridgitte Thornley –National Director of Counselling Services and Public Health Support PGF

Choi Foong Kew – Practice Leader, Asian Family Services

Phillip Siataga – Counsellor & Health Promoter, Mapu Maia

Today’s presentation:

Prevalence of problem gambling

Co-existing problems

Impacts of pokies machines

How we are meeting client needs

Clinical specifications

Public health specifications

National prevalence study 2012

▪ 2.5% of New Zealanders moderate to high risk problem gamblers

▪ A further 5.0% are low risk problem gamblers

▪ Of those people who gambled at least once in the last year 10% are estimated to be moderate to high risk

▪ 6.2% of Maori

▪ 8.0% of Pacifika

▪ 2.9% of Asian

Co-existing problems in the high risk gamblers population:▪ Half (50.6%) were found to be drinking hazardously (5x)

▪ Nearly a third (29.2%) are alcohol dependent (6.3x)

▪ 57% are smokers (4.2x)

▪ 31.4% had used drugs (4x)

▪ 28.8% have co-existing anxiety or depression (6x)

Approx 80% of problem gamblers do not seek treatment

CEP continued:

▪ 80% of clients have suicidal thoughts

▪ 50% of clients in PG services have been victims of family violence

▪ 44% have been perpetrators

▪ In the USA 15-24% of clients presenting to AOD services have pathological gambling

Impacts of pokies▪ $2.2b spent on gambling per year

▪ About half is spent on pokies

▪ Christchurch loses $9000 an hour on non-casino pokies

▪ Wealthy areas: 1 machine per 465 people

▪ Poorer areas: 1 machine per 75 people

▪ 71.2% of moderate to high at risk problem gamblers were gambling on pokie machines. (60% of service users)▪ 14.8% of recreational gamblers used pokie machines

Meeting client needs

▪Mapu Maia Pasifika services expanded to ChCh, 0800▪Asian Family Services in Auckland available for phone

or Skype counselling in Korean, Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai, Khmer and Vietnamese, Japanese

▪Email, Skype and phone counselling options available▪On going development cultural competency in our

mainstream services

Clinical Services

Brief Interventions

▪Short interventions in the community to identify those people who may be pre-contemplative or contemplative about their own gambling or the impacts of another person’s gambling

▪ About fifteen minutes, one off motivational interventions, able to be performed by trained staff or volunteers

Face to Face Counselling

▪Free, professional and confidential

▪ As many sessions as required▪ Average number is 6

▪ For people experiencing a gambling problem

▪ For anyone affected by someone else’s gambling problem either currently or in the past (can include family, friends, employees, etc.)

Facilitations

Critical work when many clients face multiple and complex issues, examples include:

▪ Bringing together multiple agencies to create wraparound support plans for clients

▪ Supporting a client to attend another service and provide a ‘handover’

▪Advocate for a client’s gambling treatment needs while attending another service

▪Advocacy for services

Group SessionsTherapy groups:

▪ Variety of models can be used, evidenced based to treat problem gambling

▪ Structured and goal oriented

▪ Closed groups with a set number of weeks

▪ Living Well Groups:

Group activities that are less structured, may be open ended and drop in.

Focus to increase well-being and have cross over with other concerns, ie, AOD, FV, MH etc

Opportunity for collaborative leadership

Follow-up:

▪Discharged clients receive follow up phone calls 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after leaving the service

▪ Clients can request follow up calls to best suit their needs

▪Rescreening completed at follow-up to identify client outcomes

Public Health Services

1 Policy Development and Implementation2 Safe Gambling Environments3 Supportive Communities4 Aware Communities5 Effective Screening Environments

Accessing our services

PGF 0800 664 262 or CHCH 03 379 2824www.pgf.nz or help@pgf.nz

Mapu Mia 0800 21 21 22 www.mapumaia.nz

Asian Family Hotline 0800 862 342 www.asianfamilyservices.nz