Governor Brewer Has Declared Next Week As "Arizona Problem Gambling Awareness Week"

Governor Janice Brewer has declared March 1st through March 7th, "Arizona Problem Gambling Awareness Week", the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling announced today.To mark National Problem Gambling Awareness Week in Arizona, the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling will host a day-long symposium in Phoenix on Monday, March 2nd, to focus on personal and community issues associated with problem gambling.National Problem Gambling Awareness Week is dedicated to educating the general public and behavioral therapists about the effects of problem gambling. The organizers of National Problem Gambling Awareness Week have created a YouTube video sharing channel for problem gamblers and their loved ones.The Arizona Office of Problem Gambling symposium will feature keynote speaker Dr. Jon E. Grant, co-director of the Impulse Control Disorders Clinic at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. Grant, an associate professor of psychiatry at the University, is a nationally recognized expert on problem gambling. He is the author of several books on behavioral addictions, and is editor in chief of the Journal of Gambling Studies. Grant will speak on “Problem Gambling and the Brain: Advances in Pharmacological Treatment.”“Problem gambling is ever-evolving; therefore, it’s imperative that we understand the issue itself as well as other disorders that may lead to or be influenced by problem gambling,” said Rick Pyper, director of the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling. “Other speakers will present information on a variety of problem gambling issues. A panel of individuals in recovery will share their experiences from their road to recovery. from pathological gamblinThe “Pathways to Recovery” symposium is presented by the Arizona Office of Problem Gambling with generous support from co-sponsors The Arizona Lottery, Salt River Casino Arizona and Harrahs Ak-Chin Casino. The event will be held March 2 from 8:30 am to 4 pm at the Black Canyon Conference Center, located at 9440 N. 25th Ave. in Phoenix. The event is open to the public and is especially recommended for professionals and students working in or studying the helping professions. Reservations can be made by calling (480) 990-1887. All participants will receive a certificate of completion for six hours of continuing education credits. The fee is $75 and includes lunch.National Problem Gambling Awareness Week is sponsored by the National Council on Problem Gambling. The National Council on Problem Gambling has developed a special non-profit National Problem Gambling Awareness Week channel on YouTube.