Gambling and Financial Management
This course equips professionals with the skills to address the complex financial challenges faced by individuals and families affected by problem gambling, integrating behavioral psychology, financial planning, and trauma-informed communication. Participants will learn to design personalized interventions, mitigate financial instability, and foster collaborative recovery strategies through actionable tools and evidence-based practices.
Learning Objectives:
- Analyze the influence of problem gambling on financial behaviors and stability, including impacts on income, credit scores, and financial abuse risks, to inform client interventions.
- Design comprehensive financial management plans tailored for individuals and families affected by problem gambling, incorporating budgeting, debt reduction, emergency funds, and support systems.
- Develop effective communication strategies to address sensitive financial topics (e.g., money scripts, gambling triggers) and simplify complex financial concepts for clients in recovery.
- Evaluate financial barriers to treatment and recovery (e.g., unstable income, debt, emotional well-being) and create actionable plans to mitigate these challenges using local, national, and online resources.
- Create strategies to modify harmful financial behaviors by addressing money scripts, mental accounting, and financial triggers, while fostering collaborative financial control systems between clients and support persons.
Module 1: An Introduction to Income and Money Relationships
Learning Objectives - participants will be able to:
- Identify Personal Money Scripts: Identify at least three personal money scripts and describe how they influence their financial behaviors.
- Evaluate the Effects of Problem Gambling on Income: Evaluate the effects of problem gambling on income by identifying at least three ways it can impact financial stability.
- Distinguish Between Fungibility and Mental Accounting: Distinguish between fungibility and mental accounting by correctly categorizing at least five financial decisions based on these concepts.
- Classify Income Sources: Identify at least five sources of income as either predictable or unpredictable and explain the significance of this classification for financial planning.
- Recognize Unpredictable Income: Assess the impact of unpredictable income sources on gambling behavior and financial stability.
- Recognize and Redirect Money Scripts: Develop strategies to help clients recognize and modify harmful money scripts.
Module 2: Spending Plans
Learning Objectives - participants will be able to:
- Measure and Calculate Income for Problem Gamblers: Accurately measure and calculate different types of income relevant to problem gamblers.
- Develop a Comprehensive Spending Plan: Gain skills to develop a comprehensive spending plan tailored to the needs of individuals recovering from problem gambling and their families.
- Explain Credit Score Components: Explain the components of a credit score and identify the major credit scoring agencies.
- Analyze Tax Implications of Gambling: Describe the tax implications of problem gambling.
- Develop a Financial Education Plan: Create a financial education plan addressing the specific needs of those experiencing problem gambling.
- Explain Capital Gains Concept: Explain the concept of capital gains and its relevance to those experiencing problem gambling.
Module 3: Family Support
Learning Objectives - participants will be able to:
- Identify Support Person Roles and Inclusion Strategies: Identify the role of the support person experiencing problem gambling and list at least three ways to effectively include them in the treatment process.
- Develop a Support Plan for Caregiver Well-Being: Develop a comprehensive plan to support the support person, including strategies for managing their own emotional and financial well-being.
- Analyze Financial Triggers and Mitigation Strategies: Analyze and explain at least two common financial triggers for problem gamblers and design strategies to mitigate their impact.
- Demonstrate Financial Control System Implementation: Demonstrate the ability to establish a supportive financial control system that balances the needs of the person experiencing problem gambling and their support person.
- Evaluate Dual Problem Gambling Scenarios and Treatment Plans: Evaluate and create an action plan for scenarios where both spouses are experiencing problem gambling, addressing unique challenges and treatment approaches.
- Design a Recovery-Focused Financial Management Plan: Design a financial management plan tailored for individuals recovering from problem gambling, incorporating budgeting, debt management, and savings strategies.
Module 4: Securing a Financial Future
Learning Objectives - participants will be able to:
- Define Financial Abuse and Identify Warning Signs: Define financial abuse in the context of problem gambling and identify at least two warning signs.
- Develop an Emergency Fund Plan for Problem Gambling: Develop a plan for creating and maintaining an emergency fund tailored to the needs of individuals experiencing problem gambling.
- Differentiate Financial Expert Roles in Problem Gambling Support: Differentiate between various types of financial experts (e.g., financial advisors, accountants, credit counselors) and their roles in supporting persons experiencing problem gambling.
- Analyze Financial Abuse and Gambling Behaviors: Analyze the relationship between financial abuse and problem gambling behaviors.
- Demonstrate Simplified Explanation of Financial Concepts: Demonstrate the ability to explain complex financial concepts related to problem gambling in simple terms to clients.
Continuing Education Information
UNC SSW, provider #1406, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. UNC SSW maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 8/10/2022 to 8/10/2025. Social workers completing this course receive 4.5 continuing education credits.
This course is approved by the North Carolina Addiction Specialist Professional Practice Board for 4.5 SS contact hours. Approval 23-346-S. UNC School of Social Work has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No.6642. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. UNC School of Social Work is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. The successful completion of this online course qualifies for 4.5 contact hours.
POLICIES & ADA ACCESSIBILITY
If you require any of the auxiliary aids or services identified in the Americans with Disabilities Act in order to participate in this program, please contact the BHS Help Desk or call us at (919) 843-6083. Websites and courses have been developed in compliance of US Section 508 standards where applicable or meeting W3C priority 1 guidelines for web accessibility.
Please contact the BHS Help Desk with any questions or concerns regarding this course.
Course Evaluation and Certificate of Completion
Upon completing the modules, participants must pass a post-test with a minimum score of 80%. After finishing all seven modules and the post-test, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion. A .pdf version of the certificate can be generated for saving or printing.