HISTORY/MILESTONES
Chinese Community Task Force on Gambling
January 1997
- NICOS releases Chinese Community Health Study. A study finding indicates that almost 70% of Chinese Americans in San Francisco believe gambling is a problem in their community.
- San Francisco Supervisor
Mabel Teng commends NICOS for it work, and urges public and private funding
agencies to
"put resources in the research and development for the treatment of compulsive gamblers."
- NICOS conducts a community forum on problem gambling. Coalition members urge the formation of a task force to address the issue.
- NICOS forms a committee, initially dubbed "The Anti-Gambling Task Force." Seven Community leaders covene to discuss how to address community's concern.
- Task Force members begin developing plans for information gathering and advocacy work.
- Task Force membership grows to 20.
- Task Force changes name to "Chinese Community Task Force on Problem Gambling" to more accurately reflect its primary concern.
- Task Force adopts as its mission, "To develop and implement culturally competent, community-based strategies to address problem gambling in the Chinese community."
- Task Force members develop plans for treatment program and educational campaign.
- NICOS and Supervisor Mabel Teng urge the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to include funding for a problem gambling project in 1998-1999 City budget. The Board approves a $100,000 allocation.
- Task Force grows to 30 +, and includes neighborhood youths, community residents, and faith community representatives.
- Task Force members meet with Sergeant Robert Guinan, San Francisco Police Department private investigator, who laments prevalence of illegal gambling in community.
- Task Force develops plan for Chinese Community Problem Gambling Project (CCPG). Plan includes certification of community counselors, research, and outreach planning.
- Task Force begins implementation of CCPG Project. CCPG project staff develop a community asset map
- NICOS Executive Director Kent Woo appears on KTSF-TV (Chinese Journal) and KTVO radio to introduce project to community.
- 31 community clinicians and counselors complete 40-hour problem gambling counseling training conducted by California Council on Problem Gambling.
- Project Staff collaborate with several students from U.C. Berkeley, U.C.L.A., and San Francisco State University to develop studies on Asian problem gambling.
- Task Force continues strategic planning for public education campaign.
- Project staff develop, distribute a Chinese-language problem gambling brochure
- NICOS receives grant from The California Wellness Foundation to create "Chinatown Wellness Village", designates funds to staff next phase of project.
- Patrick Au, executive director of The Chinese Family Life Services of Metro Toronto, lends to Task Force expertise and materials based on extensive to experience working with Chinese problem gamblers.
- Sing Tao publishes article on CCPG project; four persons immediately call Richmond Area Multi-Services (RAMS) for service.
- Graduate students from U.C. Berkeley complete research on etiology and the prevalence of problem gambling in Chinese community. Findings show that 20% of respondents may be pathological gamblers.
- In collaboration with RAMS and the NICOS network, Task Force establishes referral phone line and treatment services.
- NICOS begins work on an ad campaign to educate the public on problem gambling.
- NICOS sets up a toll free number (1-888-968-7888) for assistance to problem gambler.
June 2002
- For the fiscal year 2001-2002, the CCPGP provides counseling services to 49 families and 99 hotline callers and trains 203 service providers.
- NICOS garners a 21% awareness rate of problem gambling in the Chinese Community.
April 2003
- NICOS publishes article on the development of a culturally appropriate problem gambling project in Social Work Today (April 21, 2003).
October 2004
- The Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs adopts API problem gambling as a priority issue for 2005.
May 2005
- NICOS and the San Francisco District Attorney's Office announce partnership in a Problem Gambling Treatment Referral Program (treatment available for those convicted of first- of second-time misdemeanors spurred by their gambling addiction)
Asianweek
SFgate
Asian Community Backs Outreach to Gambling Addicts (4/8/01)
Social Work Today
The Chinese Community Problem Gambling Project (4/21/03)
[X]PRESS
Dealt a Bad Hand - Casinos Target Bay Area's Asian Community to Pump Up Business (12/02)
Community Workers Request Funding for Citizen Education
District Attorney's Office Set up Problem Gambling Referral Service
PDF Click here for a printable poster. Click here for a Responsible Gambling Handbook (© Addictions Foundation of Manitoba) To order brochures and posters please contact NICOS at (415) 788-6426.
