GamCare expands beyond Britain

The responsible gambling charity is expanding its presence globally with a Trained Associate model.

UK.- The British gambling harm prevention and treatment group, GamCare, is expanding its treatment programme internationally via a Trained Associate model. The model will allow bodies from outside Great Britain to receive GamCare training on how to support those suffering from gambling-related harm.

GamCare, which runs 161 treatment centres in Britain, said the model is open to any group that runs social support services including counselling, mental health treatment or guidance on substance misuse.

To become a Trained Associate, applicants must be deemed suitable and go through a due diligence process to ensure they have the clinical skills and governance needed to deliver gambling harm minimisation services.

Each organisation will retain its independence and will be responsible for their own governance, data and risk management. They will not subcontract provision to GamCare. Training will include a focus on GamCare’s Model of Care clinical framework for provision on tools for treatment.

The charity said: “The package is aimed to help these teams develop their services to provide support for gambling for anyone who needs it.”

The first organisation to sign up to the programme is Isle of Man substance misuse group Motiv8, which plans to expand the remit of its services to include problem gambling.

Thea Ozenturk, Motiv8 CEO, said: “We are delighted to move to this new relationship with GamCare as it keeps Motiv8’s team at the forefront of delivering best practice interventions in the treatment of gambling disorder for the benefit of locally affected individuals and their families.”

GamCare reports on results of women’s programme

Earlier this month, an evaluation report on GamCare’s Women’s Programme found that 85 per cent of participants improved their understanding of gambling harms, including how to identify women in need of gambling-related support.  

Entering its third year, GamCare’s Women’s Programme aims to foster systemic change across policy, research and treatment to address the under-representation of women seeking support and accessing treatment for gambling harm in England, Scotland and Wales.

The programme brings together a team of training and engagement leads from multiple sectors, including health and social care, mental health, domestic abuse and education.

See also: GambleAware renews call for mandatory levy on gaming operators