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What People Are Saying

What People are Saying About
the North American Training Institute

NEWS RELEASE: Lisa Stofko, Communications Specialist The Learning Lamp

PILOT PREVENTION PROGRAM INCREASES STUDENT AWARENESS, CHANGES ATTITUDES TOWARD YOUTH GAMBLING

Johnstown, PA (August 1, 2012) – Kids don’t gamble, right? Wrong. According to the Pennsylvania Youth Survey, the largest increases in young people gambling for money or any item of value in Cambria County occur, not in high school, but between 6th and 8th grades! The successful completion of year one of Cambria County’s Youth Problem Gambling Prevention Program suggests that’s a trend that can change.

Funded by a PA Department of Health Bureau of Drug and Alcohol Programs grant, The Cambria County Drug and Alcohol Program and The Learning Lamp implemented a 14-month comprehensive youth gambling prevention campaign during the 2011-2012 school year. The campaign, which employed a multi-faceted approach of information dissemination and single session and recurring educational programs, resulted in students’:

• greater understanding of gambling facts and fallacies;
• increased perception of gambling regularly as harmful; and
• decreased favorable attitudes toward gambling among friends of the same age.

Utilizing the research-based Kids Don't Gamble...Wanna Bet?™ program as its core curriculum, The Learning Lamp reached 5,168 children and adults county-wide. Participants included students, primarily in grades 6-8, from 16 of 21 public and private schools; attendees at 18 health fairs; and teachers, youth leaders, parents, children, and members of the community at 21 professional development/group assemblies. Click for more...

"We at the Harvard Medical School Division on Addictions have found the North American Training Institute and its staff to be extremely professional, capable, and possessing an excellent ability to efficiently and effectively organize educational projects."

Howard J. Shaffer, Ph.D., Director, Harvard Medical School,
Division on Addictions, Cambridge, MA

"We have worked with the professionals of the NATI for many years. We are very impressed with their ability to collaborate with many organizations and individuals in bringing a particular project to a successful outcome. Their greatest attributes are the personal care and commitment to the people that they serve."

Richard E. Rogers, MSC

"For several years, the University of Missouri-Kansas City has contracted with the North American Training Institute to provide expertise and training in the field of compulsive gambling, and have been very impressed with both their extensive knowledge in this area and their professional attitude.

Every aspect of the training was of a professional caliber: the pre-conference preparations, the trainers, the participant manuals, the visual aids, and the group activities. The trainers offer their expertise in a skilled, competent manner."

Ms. Mary Beth Johnson, Project Director, Addiction Technology Training Center,
University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, MO

"I have witnessed first-hand the standards of excellence that the NATI sets for the training of professionals involved in the treatment of problem gamblers. I attended the advanced counseling seminar that was held here at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and was very impressed by the quality of the instruction."

Ms. Christine Reilly, Executive Director,
National Center for Responsible Gaming, Boston, MA

"The North American Training Institute has demonstrated leadership in the United States and Canada through their affiliation with the Harvard Medical School Division on Addiction to co-convene the North American Think Tank on Youth Gambling Issues."

Mr. John Gunyou, Executive Director,
Minnesota Office of Technology, St. Paul, MN

"Dr. Rambeck (North American Training Institute faculty) is a very knowledgeable presenter with good practical clinical information. I also appreciated his expertise in incorporating techniques on the assessment and treatment of dual disorders."

Susan Hoisington, Psy. D., L.P., Executive Director,
Hazelden Foundation Regional Mental Health Services

"Two years ago I had the opportunity to complete the sixty hours of gambling specific training, which has proved invaluable."

Tsuchue Vang, Director of Self-Sufficiency,
Hmong American Partnership, St. Paul, MN

"As the North American Training Institute continues to develop, they can rely on the technical assistance that is available from the State of Minnesota. The care and commitment they demonstrate to their current clientele is well known and, combined with their administrative competence, makes them uniquely qualified to provide HELPline services."

Ms. Julie Smith Zuidema, Deputy Commissioner,
Department of Administration, State of Minnesota

"The North American Training Institute has been the flagship for compulsive gambling training - not only in the state of Minnesota but also for all of North America."

Darryl Zitzow, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist, Indian Health Service,
Department of Health and Human Services, White Earth, MN

"The course and staff are very professional, well organized, and more than met our expectations in performance."

Ms. C. Legeai, Department of Psychiatry and Neurology,
Tulane University, New Orleans, LA

What People Say About the North American Training Institute's
Educational Materials

"The North American Training Institute has produced a balanced guide on gambling and its health and social consequences suitable for both professionals and older adults. Thoughtfully designed to prevent gambling problems and inform about low risk and safe gambling as a leisure activity, it clearly describes the early cautionary signs of gambling problems and identifies helpful resources for individuals and families." (About Gambling Away the Golden Years)

David Korn, MD., CAS, Department of Public Health,
University of Toronto, Ontario

"A wonderful book! It is humane, down-to-earth, and compassionate, and addresses the very real problem of gambling addiction among the elderly." (About Gambling Away the Golden Years)

Lisa Najavits, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Psychology, Harvard Medical School,
Associate Psychologist, McLean Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital

"Gambling Away the Golden Years is a most useful booklet that provides, in a concise format, important information for those with concerns about problematic gambling by senior citizens. In this booklet, one finds information that is helpful in identifying potential problems and resources for seeking help with problematic gambling."

Mark Applebaum, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology,
University of California, San Diego

"This valuable booklet provides compelling first-hand accounts of retirees’ out-of-control gambling, along with humane advice and an array of referral resources for those who need help." (About Gambling Away the Golden Years)

Peter Nathan, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology,
University of Iowa

"In Search of Balance is a wonderful blending of theory, diagnostic criteria, and the devastating impact of untreated pathological gambling among older adults."

Renee M. Cunningham-Williams, Ph.D. M.P.E., Research Assistant Professor,
Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO