The Atlantic County-based Recovery Center receives gambling counseling grant from The Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

Mays Landing, NJ – John Brooks Recovery Center (JBRC) has started a new Gambling Treatment Program to assist individuals with problem and disordered gambling. All patients admitted into the program must also have a co-occurring substance use disorder diagnosis. The program started this month and is available at all three of JBRC’s facilities.

“There will be outpatient gambling treatment in Pleasantville and Atlantic City and gambling treatment at our residential facility in Mays Landing,” said Michael Santillo, CEO at JBRC. “We plan to also treat clients in the Atlantic County Jail.”

This program is being funded by a grant from the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS). JBRC was one of only 10 organizations from around the state who were awarded this grant and the only organization in Atlantic County.

Kenneth Litwak, MS, LCADC, ICGC-II, CCTP, DRCC, IGDC, Clinical Services Supervisor and Level Two International Certified Gambling Counselor, is leading the program at JBRC. This certification comes from the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board. “Litwak is one of approximately 20 internationally certified gambling counselors in New Jersey and is only one of 10 individuals who are Level Two certified,” said Santillo. “We are really fortunate to have Ken on our team because of his seasoned experience in the field. He has worked for the Council on Compulsive Gambling in New Jersey for several years and even wrote their certification curriculum.”

This new program will offer the following services: One-on-one counseling, group counseling and psychoeducation counseling. “The clients who will be admitted into the program will have substance use disorders diagnosis and a co-occurring gambling disorder, which accounts for approximately 30 percent of cases,” Litwak added.

The gambling problem in the current system of care basically goes unaddressed and can become a serious issue on its own or it can become a relapse issue, according to Santillo. “Gambling disorders can be devastating,” he added. “In fact, the highest rate of suicide among any of the addictions is gambling.”

Santillo has personally worked alongside accountants and other high-level positions where people lose their jobs over embezzlement-related offenses and never return to their field. “These folks wind up with nothing and a million dollars in debt,” he said. “Those who suffer from alcohol and heroin addiction can start over with a clean slate. The impact of gambling runs much deeper. This is an addiction that can follow them for the rest of their lives. Luckily, JBRC is in a position to help individuals identify the issue and find recovery.”

JBRC offers a Main Outpatient Recovery Center in Pleasantville, an Outpatient Center in Atlantic City and a Residential Treatment Facility in Mays Landing. If you or someone you know is struggling with an addictive disorder, please call JBRC today. For Residential Programs – Residential Detox/Withdrawal Management, Short-term Residential or Long-term Residential, please call 609-345-0110. For Outpatient Programs – Opioid Treatment Program, Intensive Outpatient Program or Standard Outpatient Program, please call 609-345-2020, extension 6182, 6180 or 6179.

About John Brooks Recovery Center
Founded in 1969, John Brooks Recovery Center provides quality, individualized treatment services to help individuals overcome substance use disorders. Programs include: Residential, Outpatient, Medication-assisted Recovery, Detox and Inmate Re-entry. To learn more, visit jbrcnj.org or visit them on Facebook @JohnBrooksRecoveryCenter.

About All Roads Recovery Community Center
All Roads Recovery Community Center, the community-based recovery arm of JBRC, helps anyone struggling with addiction navigate their next steps on the journey to recovery. All Roads currently offers a wide variety of Recovery Groups, as well as one-on-one coaching with Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (CPRS). To learn more, visit allroadsrecovery.org, call 609-457-1080 or visit them on Facebook @AllRoadsRCC.