Jim's post- March Madness

Hello!  My name is Jim Wuelfing and I am the Director of Prevention at the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. I have been with the Council for nearly 17 years, the first fourteen as a prevention consultant and the last three in my present position.  Although I have nothing but high esteem for those who work in the field of treatment, helping those experiencing a myriad of problems in living, I have an undying passion for prevention which is born out of the belief that no progress is ever made against any epidemic by only treating the casualties. We simply replace them with more casualties.


My interest in prevention began professionally as an associate dean of students at a college here in Massachusetts in the late 1970s. As a student life dean, I spent much of my time helping students with their own problems in living, most of those problems stemming from alcohol and drug misuse and/or other mental health issues.  Feeling woefully unprepared, I began to learn about effective prevention practices and eventually received a certification as a prevention professional.  This career path brought me to serving as the training manager of a professional development center for folks in the addictions field in Connecticut and then to owning my own company, The New England Center, where I work in a number of arenas including homelessness, co-occurring disorders, health disparities due to race and ethnicity, meeting the needs of our returning servicemen and women and recovery oriented systems of care.  In all of these endeavors, I employ the principles and practices of prevention, an active process of creating conditions and fostering personal attributes that promotes the well-being of people.


My interest in prevention personally began in 1984 with the birth of our daughter and four years later with the birth of our son.  Being a parent has been the greatest blessing of my life along with being joined in that endeavor by my best friend of 32 years, my wife.

We have entered the empty-nest years and are find ourselves enjoying reconnecting with each other.  We had a wonderful and busy year in 2010 as both are children found their life partners and married – our daughter at a lovely garden wedding in June and our son at a Halloween wedding in October. Both were wonderful, happy and joyous occasions.


I asked my children the other day if they had joined a pool as part of March Madness as I know they have done so sporadically in the past. I was intrigued by all of the hype surrounding the fact that in the men’s tournament, there are no number one or number two seeds – bracket busters abound this year.  I find March Madness to be a fascinating phenomenon in our country and one worthy of discussion regarding prevention of problem gambling!  The FBI estimates that at least 2.5 billion will be wagered on March Madness this year with only about 100 million of that being wagered legally through Las Vegas book makers (approximately 4%). There are internet gambling sites where bets between $1 and $30,000 are possible.  Although it is hard to get a handle on exact amounts because of the illegal and unrestricted nature of online gambling and office pools, it is quite possible that March Madness has become the nation’s largest betting event, surpassing the Super Bowl.


So what’s the big deal?  It is true that the majority of Americans gamble and the majority of them do so without negative consequence.  As preventionists, we work to keep it that way. Let’s take a look at some risk factors for problem gambling. They include; gambling illegally, gambling on credit or borrowed money, early age of onset, large first bets, chasing lost bets with more bets, and exceeding preset limits. How many of these are at play during March Madness?  Some answers are clear, others not so easy.  Does this mean I am advocating a clamp down on March Madness betting? Nope. I am just advocating that we use the opportunity to discuss gambling and the ways to reduce our risks of getting into problems with it. If you would like to start a conversation with others on this topic but feel you would like to know more before you do, visit our website at www.masscompulsivegambling.org.  Another resource for those wishing to talk about gambling with children and teens check out this pamphlet on talking with kids about gambling at http://www.ncrg.org/public_education/talking-with-children.cfm

The Council Welcomes Our New Executive Director!

Hi Everyone,

This is Margot Cahoon, Communications Specialist for the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling.  I am writing today to announce some great news ~ Marlene Warner has been hired as the Council's New Executive Director!

Marlene has worked at the Council for 10 years as Program Director. During that time, she has helped the non profit organization to achieve many objectives including: offering both online and regional training opportunities for clinicians, expanding the Helpline to offer live chat, working with financial services industries and the corrections community to help individuals understand the impact of problem gambling, and developing more programs and services to serve ethnic and linguistic minority populations experiencing problems with the disorder.

Personally, I couldn't be happier with the decison. Marlene is a wonderful colleague and friend, and I am excited to be a part of the future of the Council under her leadership. I could speak for all of my co-workers in saying that Marlene is very much respected and admired within the field, but I don't have to.... following are some of their remarks:

In regards to the Executive Director position, the Council made an excellent choice. I believe Marlene has the knowledge, leadership abilities, commitment and compassion required to take the Council to the next level. I first learned about the council thanks to Marlene and I am proud to be associated with an organization that is committed to cultural competency and social justice. Like many others, I look forward to the challenges ahead.-- Haner Hernandez, Assistant Director of Prevention and Programs

I feel that Marlene is caring, compassionate and dedicated to making the council more successful in the future. I know that she will make sure that those in need feel that there is hope…..what more could we ask for…

-- Karen Sicher, Special Projects Assistant

Marlene has worked tirelessly to support the mission of the Council and I’m sure she will continue to do so in her new position as Executive Director.

--Joan G. Gilmore, Helpline Coordinator

Marlene has brought about many new directions for the Council in her first 10 years.  I am excited that the future of the Council is in her hands.  I can’t wait to see what comes next!

--Peggie Milisci, Program Assistant

With her leadership skills and impassioned work ethic, I am confident that Marlene can take us to the next level!

-- Chien-Chi Huang, Asian Community Program Manager

Marlene Warner is an excellent choice to lead the Council as we continue to expand our services to problem gamblers, their families and the larger community. Marlene has evidenced herself to be a competent and innovative administrator.  She is intelligent, articulate and personable and her passion for this issue and the people involved is ever present.  I have every confidence that she will carry on the excellent tradition of compassion and service begun by our founder, Tom Cummings, and Kathy Scanlan, his successor.

-- Jim Wuelfing, Prevention Director

If you would like to congratulate Marlene on her new position, I am sure she would love to hear from you!

Marlene Waner, Executive Director

Marlene's Blog

My name is Marlene Warner and I am the Program Director at the Mass. Council.  I have worked for the Council nearly 10 years and am interested in this alternate (and in many ways more intimate) way to communicate with people.  It is appealing to write directly and passionately about the resources available and devoted to people struggling with a gambling disorder, either in their own life or in the life of someone close to them. 

In my near decade of work on this topic, I've developed professionally and personally in my roles.  In my personal life, not only have I bought a home, rescued a dog and birthed two sons, but I have also learned some of the intricacies of what living with and through a difficult situation really means.  Professionally, I've met people who have lost all faith in themselves and never thought serenity was ever an option.  I've also seen the devastation that someone who is seemingly larger than life can happen when s/he rips off the false exterior to expose just a normal person.  In fact it is that thought that I'd like to dedicate my blog entry today--falling from false expectations of greatness.

As a society I feel as though we often build people up to levels where they can be revered and celebrated, but not real.  In fact, I thought it was appropriate that I write my first blog entry the week of St. Patrick's Day.  As most of you know, St. Patrick, the Patron Saint of Ireland, is celebrated because as the story goes he drove the venomous snakes out of Ireland into the sea where they drowned, therefore, saving the people of Ireland.  In reality, St. Patrick was a man who helped to convert the people of Ireland to Catholicism.  Ok, so there is a bit more to the story than that, but that is it in a nutshell (apologies to my husband, and any others, reading this that probably think my boiled down version of history is apalling).

But, after some 1500 years, this legend has been inseparably combined with the facts. None of us will actually ever know who Patrick really was as a man who walked this earth, but we know we throw a good party every March 17th in his honor.  Now how is this relevant to gambling disorders?  Well I think it is a great metaphor for how people with a gambling addiction constantly fight the urge to be someone they are not.  They are told by the casinos or lottery that they are winners, more important than others in the gaming world because of the level of money and time they devote to the action. Family and friends enjoy the person who can "never lose" and brings home lavish gifts and trips.  They are often competitive people who try to balance success in all aspects of their life: money, career, family and extracurricular activities. 

And when they can't maintain that pace or success?  They fall from the pedestal.  And we wonder what is wrong with them.  And they wonder, what has changed?  Why did their luck run out and why have they not maintained their popularity? 

So, my parting thought is this: no one can be perfect, super human or lucky all the time.  Allow for people, even folks struggling with their addiction, to be imperfect.  In the end, they will be that much more real.

(Information on St. Patrick was taken from http://www.theholidayspot.com/patrick/historyofpatrick.htm

Margot's Blog- Problem Gambling Awareness Week 2011

Hi Everyone - I am Margot Cahoon, Communications Specialist for the Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling. I live on Cape Cod with my sweet husband and my two very active and fun little boys. Being a wife, mother, daughter and friend is a huge part of my life, but my career is also extremely important to me. Admittedly, it is a juggling act!

For the past 16 years, I’ve worked in public relations; primarily promoting the good work of leading, national non-profit healthcare organizations. I feel truly blessed to have found a profession doing what I love.

I have had the pleasure of working for the Council since 2003. As Communications Specialist, I manage the marketing communications (website, brochures, newsletters, Annual Reports, advertising) and public relations (talking with reporters, working on news stories) activities of the organization.  It’s a very rewarding job. Not only do I work with some very committed, talented and kind individuals, but I also feel; albeit in a small way, as though I have been given the opportunity to help people.

I’ve been super-busy this past month preparing for Problem Gambling Awareness Week.  This year, the grass-roots public awareness and outreach campaign that is lead by the National Council on Problem Gambling, is being celebrated March 6 – 12.  The goal of the campaign is to educate the general public and health care professionals about the warning signs of problem gambling and to raise awareness about help that is available locally.

In Massachusetts, we don’t have much of a budget for promotion, so I’ve tried my best to use the funding that I do have, creatively. Press releases, radio public service announcements, TV public service announcements, billboards, print ads in college newspapers and recovery center newsletters, Facebook ads, contests … oh my!  If you are interested in all of the details, I would be honored if you read the story that I wrote about it.  I would also love it if you commented on my blog or “talked” with me about your thoughts and experiences with problem gambling.

The Problem Gambling Awareness Week campaign was launched a few days ago in Massachusetts. As a result, it is my hope that more people will call our Helpline at 800-426-1234 or chat with our Helpline specialists online at masscompulsivegambling.org., and that people experiencing the devastation caused by gambling problems will get the help they need to restore themselves to a normal way of thinking and living. 

Without a doubt, the most rewarding part of this job is seeing people who have found recovery and have completely turned their lives around.  It happens every day : ) 

*Here is a photo of Margot in her professional role- spreading the word about problem gambling with Susan Wornack.

*Here is a photo of Margot with her family.