The Center began operation in July, 2012.
The Maryland Center of Excellence on Problem Gambling (the Center) is a program of the University of Maryland School of Medicine and funded by the Maryland Department of Health’s Behavioral Health Administration.
The Center promotes healthy and informed choices regarding gambling and problem gambling through public awareness, training and education, prevention, technical assistance to the behavioral health care system, peer recovery support, research and public policy. It does so by working closely with appropriate state stakeholders and bringing together experts from a variety of disciplines including psychiatry, medicine, epidemiology, social work, law and others.
The Center’s key initiatives include:
- Providing a free and confidential 24-hour Helpline – 1-800-GAMBLER (Text: 1-800-426-2537) for those struggling with problems due to gambling.
- Educating the citizens of Maryland about the risks of gambling and gambling addiction through Public Awareness
- Training counselors, educators, prevention specialists, and other health care and social service providers and developing new training approaches to help individuals and their families.
- Creating a network of problem gambling capable Treatment providers by providing technical assistance to health care and behavioral health care providers and
- Maintaining a problem gambling counselor Referral List to address the issue of problem gambling.
- Assisting individuals dealing with at risk and problem gambling through Peer Recovery Support.
- Developing and implementing Prevention and community outreach programs.
- Providing Public Policy information on strategies to address the impact of gambling on Public Health within Maryland.
- Engaging in evaluation and Research.
