National Prevention Week is an initiative of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) held each year in May to remind the public of the many important mental health and substance abuse issues facing Americans.
From May 13 to May 19, organizations across the nation, including SAMHSA and the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ), will be sharing helpful resources and spreading awareness about these critical issues.
We at the CCGNJ feel obligated to take part in National Prevention Week as many compulsive gamblers also struggle with substance abuse and mental illness. By helping to raise awareness and disseminate helpful resources, we hope to minimize the likelihood of New Jersey residents becoming dependent on harmful substances and assist those with mental health and substance disorders get in contact with the help they need.
National Prevention Week has three core objectives, which the CCGNJ is striving to achieve:
- Involve Communities
The first objective is to involve communities and use them to raise awareness about the mental and behavioral health issues. By using the connections of communities across the country, SAMHSA aims to better implement prevention strategies and reach a broader audience.
The CCGNJ is using its connections to the communities and residents of New Jersey to spread information about illness and substance abuse. With an extensive audience and online reach, we feel that we must do our part in providing the essential information that can prevent unhealthy habits and lead an individual to recovery.
- Foster Partnerships and Collaboration
The second objective of SAMHSA is to foster partnerships and collaboration with organizations and agencies focused on behavioral and public health concerns. By using every channel available, we can reach more people than any one organization could alone.
The CCGNJ is an educational non-profit organization dedicated to informing the public of health concerns for disordered gamblers and their families while also connecting them with the treatment and recovery resources they need. As National Prevention Week shares similar goals, we find our partnership valuable for achieving mutual success.
- Promote and Disseminate Quality Resources
The final objective of National Prevention Week is to spread quality information and resources to those who need it. The CCGNJ is helping to reach this objective by spreading behavioral health information online and referring those who reach out to our helpline to help meetings that can promote recovery. By promoting information about the consequences of sports betting in East Rutherford, NJ and beyond, we can hopefully avoid damaging behaviors before they begin.
Providing treatment resources for mental illness and substance use disorders is one key step in reducing the rates of disordered gambling in New Jersey residents. If you or a loved one are betting on sports in Atlantic City or suffer from a mental illness or substance use disorder, we encourage you to contact our 24/7 helpline by calling or texting 800-GAMBLER today.