Cascadia Expands Problem Gambling Treatment to North/Northeast Portland

PORTLAND, OR – Typically, an Oregonian with a gambling problem is $25,000 in debt. And there are 80,000 of them.

In April, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare will expand its no-cost Problem Gambling program to the Garlington Health Center, the nonprofit’s new integrated healthcare center in Northeast Portland.

Cascadia will host an informational event at Garlington, 3036 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd., on Friday, March 22, 2019, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., for individuals, friends and family members interested in finding out more about the impacts of problem gambling. Counselors will be on hand to answer questions and provide details on groups and individual enrollment.

Garlington location increases access

Cascadia’s Problem Gambling addiction treatment program has been operating for over 25 years and provides free individual, group and couples counseling for area residents. Services are currently offered at Cascadia’s Clackamas and Plaza Health Centers.

With the expansion of services to Garlington, Cascadia will increase access to those living in the nearby North/Northeast Portland neighborhoods.

“People tend to gamble close to where they live and work,” said Philip Yassenoff, program manager for Cascadia’s Problem Gambling Services. “It’s vital that we begin to offer gambling treatment to the North and Northeast Portland community. Adding this service to the Garlington Health Center also complements the comprehensive services already offered there.”

Treatment addresses relationship, health issues

Who is a typical problem gambler in Oregon? Most of these individuals gamble at Oregon Video Lottery retailers. While the average age of onset of problem gambling is 37, the average age of those starting treatment is 47.

Besides wreaking havoc on finances, addictive gambling can interfere with relationships and damage physical health. In one study, gamblers were found to have an increased risk of developing stress-related conditions such as hypertension or cardiovascular disease, and psychiatric conditions such as major depression or anxiety disorder.

Cascadia’s treatment plans are customized for each client – individual, couples/family, group therapy options and support groups. These plans can help address the issues gambling can cause and help build new skills that will decrease dependence on gambling.

For more information about Cascadia’s Problem Gambling program, call 503-674-7777 or visit our website at bit.ly/CBHProblemGambling.

— written by Olivia Alley, Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare, External Communications