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Mental Health and Addictions
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- Quick, accessible service
- Community-based options
- Individualized comprehensive assessments
- Free and confidential services
- Specialized services for youth, adults, older adults, women and family members.
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Sister Margaret Smith Centre offers a multifaceted program to help people who are experiencing difficulties related to gambling. This service is offered to the gambler as well as concerned others. Individuals may enter services at any point on the continuum such as a casual/social gambler to problematic gambler. Individual, group and family services are available for youth, adults, older adults and families. All services are adapted to meet the needs of the individual.
Sunrise from the Sister Margaret Smith Centre |
The Gambling Program follows a treatment philosophy set out by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care (MOHLTC). This philosophy frames treatment around the concept of harm reduction.
Harm reduction strategies are a part of a continuum of treatment options including abstinence. This allows the Gambling Program staff to work with clients regardless of where they are at in their change process.
The Gambling Program recognizes that clients have diverse and complex needs and formats programming to meet the changing need of the client. The Gambling Program follows the MOHLTC concept of using evidence-based practice. This means the Gambling Program uses avenues of treatment that are determined to be effective by research and best practice experience.
Sister Margaret Smith Centre recognizes that most people gamble responsible and that they are able to set limits. For some people, gambling may be a problem that impacts their life negatively. There are supports available for those experiencing problems related to gambling.
| Gamble for entertainment not as a way to make money |
| Gamble with money that you can afford to lose |
| Keep a balance between gambling and other leisure activities |
| To set and keep time and money limits |
| To uphold your responsibilities for family and work |
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You are gambling responsibly when you recognize that gambling is a game and that losing is part of the cost of entertainment.
Problem gambling occurs when individuals continue to gamble despite the fact that this behaviour is causing financial, marital, family, legal, social, school or employment problems.
- Preoccupation with gambling
- Use of gambling as a way to escape problems
- Spending increased amounts of money
- Losing time at work/school or away from family
- Gambling to recover losses
- Lying or stealing in order to continue gambling
- Lack the motivation to stop playing, regardless of winning or losing
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