NCDHHS Problem Gambling Program, ECU’s Gambling Research and Policy Initiative, and Birches Health join forces to provide access to metrics-based clinical treatment
08 July 2024 - 4:30PM
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’
(NCDHHS) Problem Gambling Program, ECU’s Gambling Research and
Policy Initiative (“GRPI”), and Birches Health announced today a
pioneering initiative to offer metrics-based gambling disorder
treatment and resources to all individuals reaching out to the
North Carolina Gambling Hotline.
Through this new partnership, North Carolina residents seeking
help for gambling-related behavioral health problems will receive
care from Birches Health, a leading national clinical provider of
gambling disorder treatment, in partnership with the Gambling
Research & Policy Initiative (GRPI) and the NCDHHS Problem
Gambling Program. Specialized virtual therapy from licensed
clinical providers will be available as part of an integrated
clinical program. Funding for non-insured and underinsured
individuals is being provided by the NCDHHS Problem Gambling
Program to ensure there are no financial barriers to services.
The GRPI intends to conduct research exploring how specialized
counseling services should be adjusted for different identities and
comorbid issues individuals may be facing in addition to
gambling-related harms, such as depression, substance abuse, and/or
PTSD. According to Dr. Michelle L. Malkin, Director of the GRPI,
“the more providers can identify the types of support different
clients need based on a whole person approach, the better results
we can have to getting clients to stay in recovery and reduce
potential negative outcomes, such as the high suicide rate among
those with gambling disorder.” By measuring outcomes with
scientific rigor and regularly updated screenings of gambling
behavior and comorbidities, individuals will be able to receive the
most appropriate forms and types of treatment.
“We are excited to support our partners at the GRPI and Birches
Health in their work launching a first-of-its-kind problem
gambling metrics-based telehealth treatment pilot program,” says
Amanda Winters, Problem Gambling Administrator for NCDHHS. “These
initiatives are crucial to ensuring that North Carolina
residents have access to the highest quality treatment and
services.”
Elliott Rapaport, Founder and CEO of Birches Health, added “We
are proud to support the groundbreaking research done by the GRPI
in direct partnership with NC Department of Health and Human
Services Problem Gambling Program. We believe this initiative will
inform best-in-class gambling disorder treatment and help steer
clinical outcomes for programs nationally to ensure the reduction
of gambling-related harms.”
About the North Carolina Department of Health and Human
Services Problem Gambling Program The North Carolina
Problem Gambling Program (NCPGP) provides and supports effective
problem gambling prevention, education, outreach and treatment
services throughout North Carolina. For more information, visit
www.ncdhhs.gov/divisions/mental-health-developmental-disabilities-and-substance-use-services/nc-problem-gambling-program
About Eastern Carolina University’s Gambling Research
and Policy InitiativeECU’s Gambling Research &
Policy Initiative (GRPI) conducts research on gambling awareness,
behavior, risk, and gambling-related harms, including – North
Carolina gambling behavior and risk prevalence studies,
state/national/international studies focused on marginalized
groups, and other studies aimed at filling research gaps. For more
information, visit https://criminal-justice.ecu.edu/grpi/
About Birches HealthBirches Health is a leading
national clinical provider of specialized treatment for gambling
disorder covered by insurance and state funding. Birches Health’s
mission is to provide convenient, comprehensive care and resources
to individuals facing challenges related to problem gambling and
other behavioral addictions. For more information, visit
www.bircheshealth.com
Contact:
hello@bircheshealth.com
www.BirchesHealth.com