Problem gambling among adolescents and college students will be the topic of a day-long conference Sept. 23 at UNLV. The program, titled "Beating the Odds," will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Richard Tam Alumni Center.
During the conference, local and national addiction specialists will explore the scope of the youth gambling problem nationwide and discuss the development of successful prevention and treatment programs.
The conference schedule is as follows:
? 9 a.m. : Opening Remarks - Larry Ashley, addictions specialist in UNLV's department of family, marriage and community counseling.
? 9:15 - 9:45 a.m. : "Why Our Community Should Be Concerned about Youth Problem Gamblers," presented by Carol O'Hare, executive director of the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling, and Steven Oster, counselor with UNLV's office of student counseling and psychological services.
? 10 - 11:30 p.m. : The keynote speech, "Youth Gambling and Brain Maturity: Intersection on the Developmental Highway" will be presented by Ken Winters, director of the Center for Adolescent Substance Abuse Research at the University of Minnesota.
? 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. : Jan Jones, vice president for Harrah's Entertainment Inc., will deliver the luncheon presentation, titled "Harrah's Commitment to Responsible Gaming."
? 1 - 2 p.m.: "A Personal Perspective - Comments from a Recovering Youth Gambler"
? 2 - 3 p.m.: "Developing Prevention and Treatment Programs for Youth Gamblers: A Workshop"
? 3:15 - 4 p.m. : The event will conclude with a Q&A roundtable.
In 2004, Harrah's donated $15,000 to help develop the nation's first formal training program in problem gambling counseling at UNLV. This year, Harrah's Operating Company donated an additional $15,000 to support the Harrah's Graduate Assistantship, which is intended to help a student become a state certified problem gambling counselor.
The conference is sponsored by UNLV's department of family, marriage, and community counseling, the Student Organization of Addiction Professionals, Harrah's Entertainment Inc., and the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling.
The conference is open to the public. For more information, contact Liz Waggoner at 498-3699.
