Vermont Wants to Train Mental Health Providers about Gambling

Vermont’s Department of Mental Health is pushing forward to raise awareness about gambling-related disorders among healthcare professionals.

This follows a global trend whereby clinical experts are undergoing treatment for issues related to excessive gambling, with many of these symptoms going unnoticed.

Vermont Wants More People Equipped to Address Problem Gambling

In places such as the United Kingdom, questions about a patient’s gambling habits are now considered standard and routine medical inquiries.

However, mental healthcare professionals are not necessarily equipped with the means to address these issues just yet, with the DMH looking to change that. The department is offering a free, ten-week course that seeks to provide tools and information to help people support people who experience gambling-related problems.

The program is not limited to clinical professionals and can be accessed by people interested in helping gambling addicts, as it’s geared towards mental health providers, who often employ volunteers.

While lived experiences are important, a more methodical, scientifically-justified approach can often yield even better results, helping protect vulnerable and at-risk consumers. Shame and stigma still play a role in making people hesitant to reach out for help, but the numbers are slowly changing.

The department hopes to train as many as 11,000 adults statewide, and the program is set to begin on January 13, 2026. Participants will have an incentive to complete the training, as they will then receive 0 continuing education credits and be eligible to obtain a Vermont Problem Gambling Specialist Certificate.

The training program is completely free of charge and seeks to spread awareness about gambling-related problems while also equipping thousands of people with the skills necessary to start tackling the problem in their local communities and thus help destigmatize problem gambling.