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PROMISE
… AND PIONEERS!
It was obviously not a pre-planned, written-out
acceptance speech. The award truly came
as a personal surprise. Standing at the
podium in the crowded banquet room,
acceptance words tumbled out - re-gifting the Jim Cooke Leadership Award
to all in the room who represent PROMISE
to folks seeking help for problem gambling.
Bringing help, hope, and promise
(of better days to come) to persons affected, both directly and indirectly, by
gambling addiction is, indeed, still
a PIONEERING effort in the field of
mental health services. This Award, from
the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling, is an incredible honor to receive …
and yet, there’s more behind this very special distinction for which I am most
grateful.
As accurately as I can, I am – now for this February
Posting - composing my acceptance “speech” in bulleted form, along with italicized, background information (from
the KYCPG website www.kycpg.org ). You will see that themes of “Promise” and “Pioneers”,
likewise, continue to run through the outreach work of the Kentucky Council. · First, each person present at the Kentucky Council’s Awards Luncheon (of the 16th Annual Education and Awareness Conference on Problem Gambling) serves as a “beacon of promise” through knowledge gained and shared through learning conferences about problem gambling and how recovery can truly come.
KYCPG’s Goals and Strategies: Goal – To provide education and training programs on problem gambling throughout Kentucky. Strategy – To ensure the continued development of training programs that enhance knowledge of the issue of problem gambling. Twice annually, the Council hosts Education and Awareness Conferences, with a number of scholarships offered for each event.
· This promise, portrayed via hope and help, is extended to those who – initially – have not sensed any promise for a different and better life. Their existence has been that of failure, shame, and tremendous pain.
The Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling encourages individuals to become Certified Compulsive Gambling Counselors. Although professionally counseling compulsive gamblers shares many aspects of professional counseling of other addictions and disorders, there are some critically important differences. Without familiarity of and understanding how to address those differences, the attempt at counseling the compulsive gambler can be unsuccessful. Working in cooperation with the state Division of Behavioral Health, KYCPG has helped increased the number of certified counselors in Kentucky.Also, the Council has presented an Exam Preparation Workshop to encourage counselors to seek certification by the American Compulsive Gambling Counselor Certification Board.
· Second, we are a gathering – here and now – of “true pioneers”! It is exciting work … opening new doors of recovery to many individuals who feel isolated in their addiction due to inadequate care - and who experience the sting of marginalization from others ready to minimize their afflictions or point the finger of shame.
The Kentucky Council was founded 20 years ago!
It began as the vision of Curtis L. Barrett, Ph.D., professor emeritus, University of Louisville [who] saw in his teaching and practice that pathological gambling (then known as compulsive gambling) was an existing concern for Kentucky, and that action was needed to raise awareness of the issue among the citizenry, with governments and even inside the gambling industry, itself.
Moreover …
KYCPG was the founding council of the MidCentral Alliance on Problem Gambling, which also includes the state councils on problem gambling affiliated with the National Council on Problem Gambling in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, West Virginia, and Wisconsin
· In journeying new paths and creating new concepts, as pioneers we will face obstacles and even opposition. We find it is often tough setting an unexplored pace and direction. Colleagues may hesitate to understand where we are going, continue to hold onto comfortable, familiar perspectives, or keep their doors closely guarded. We may even begin to feel that our clients are not the only ones marginalized!
Still, our own country was settled by pioneers – from the beginning! Yes, creating those new doors of recovery is groundbreaking and, sometimes, lonely work. But as history tells us, this work is worth it … and as GA and Gam-Anon members proclaim, You [you and those who seek help for problem gambling] are worth it! We are all people of worth – and assisting folks into recovery is an incredibly, significant way to remind them of their own unique worthiness.
Therefore, I express in humble gratitude to you, Members of the Kentucky Council on Problem Gambling and Council Director Mike Stone, my deep Thank You for this very special award … and for the pioneering leadership you continue to and have provided for these many years … in extending help and hope … and the embodiment of promise for recovery to all affected by problem gambling.
Blessings,
Rev. Janet Jacobs
Founding Director
Gambling Recovery Ministries
For information and
registration details for the MidCentral Conference on Problem Gambling, on
March 24-25, in Indianapolis, go to www.indianaproblemgambling.org
Member organizations of the
MidCentral Alliance include:
· Kentucky Behavioral Health & Development and Intellectual Disabilities www.dbhdid.ky.gov/kdbhdid/default.asp
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