Current Projects

Test Your Knowledge - Gambling Trivia
West Hants Uniacke CHB will develop Q and A video segments to run on multimedia screens in Hants Community Hospital.

Community Projects II Grants

Get Your Game On
Addiction Services at the South West District Health Authority are re-offering a youth-oriented school program called “Get Your Game On.” This youth gambling event helps dispel myths, challenge misperceptions, provide accurate information, and improve a student’s ability to make critical decisions about their gambling behaviour.

High Stakes
The Addiction Services branch of the Colchester East Hants Health Authority is offering a series of innovative therapeutic intervention tools for youth at-risk and/or those already harmfully involved with gambling and other substances. This adventure-based program targets youth aged 13 to 20 years and features a low and high ropes course, drumming workshops, swimming, and educational programs.

I am a Woman and Have I Got a Story to Tell!
The Tri-County Women’s Center is offering the program "I’m a Woman and Have I got a Story to Tell" to women in Yarmouth and surrounding areas who are affected by problem gambling. By encouraging self-expression through visual art and creative writing, the program helps women affected by gambling harm express their personal life experiences as well as their individual hopes, dreams, and memories.

Increasing Awareness on Problem Gambling in African Nova Scotia Communities: A Key to Quality Improvement of Problem Gambling Services
The Association of Black Social Workers (ABSW), Nova Scotia Chapter, will deliver three educational workshops about gambling harm to African Nova Scotian seniors' groups. ABSW will also offer a workshop about the African Nova Scotian senior population to Addiction Services providers from across the province.

Problem Gambling - Let's Deal with It
Pictou Landing First Nation is taking steps to break the silence that traditionally surrounds the issue of gambling. Their project, launched in conjunction with Addiction Services and the Pictou County Women's Center, aims to develop and deliver culturally appropriate community-based programs to assist individuals and families in their recovery.

Sea Change 2010: Leisure alternatives through community arts for youth at-risk or problem gamblers in HRM
The Nova Scotia Sea School is collaborating with Connections Clubhouse to deliver a series of art sessions to youth who are at-risk or are experiencing gambling problems. The goal of the program is to mitigate gambling harm to youth by presenting alternative leisure activities.

Research Grants

The Role of Selective Exposure and Subsequent Information Processing in Health Behaviours
Dr. Steven Smith of Saint Mary's University is developing strategies to enhance the efficacy of health campaigns targeted at the prevention of and/or seeking out of treatment for problem gambling. His research seeks to understand what leads individuals to attend to new information and how to eliminate the human tendency to seek out supportive information and avoid contradictory information.

Research Fellowships

Affective Biases in Problem Gamblers
Amanda Hudson of Dalhousie University is examining how problem gambling behaviour may reflect a means of dealing with emotional motives such as seeking or repairing negative moods. The project also explores potential emotional and decision-making impairments in problem gamblers. Results may provide insight into factors that contribute to problem gambling.

Effects of gambling-related cues on the automatic activation of gambling outcome expectancies
Melissa Stewart, a PhD candidate at Dalhousie University, will assess whether the presentation of gambling-related cues leads to the automatic activation of gambling outcome expectancies stored in gamblers' memory networks. It will also examine how the activation of positive outcome expectancies may be substantially enhanced by gambling-related cues among heavy gamblers.

Exploring help-seeking by problem gamblers, family, and community members within African Nova Scotian communities
Marok Njiwaji, a Masters student at Dalhousie University, will explore cultural factors that either promote or hinder African Nova Scotians who self-identify as problem gamblers from seeking professional help. The study will provide an understanding of problem gambling among African Nova Scotians, which will help inform recommendations for culturally-relevant strategies to address gambling harm.

FLAGS-II as Motivational Therapy for Problem Gambling
Mike Buckley's PhD research involves the Focal Assessment for Gambling Screen (FLAGS-II).His study evaluates the ability of FLAGS to motivate gamblers who are currently not in treatment to move through the Transtheoretical model (TTM) stages of change towards a more balanced, and/or gambling free life.

Community Health Board Level 2 Grant

Control the Roll: Youth Gambling Prevention Program
Shelburne CHB will hold a weekend retreat to educate youth about gambling.

Standing On Your Own
Eastern Shore Mesquodobit will create awareness of gambling risk to prepare high school students to transition from home to independent living situations.

Understanding Gambling Within the African Nova Scotian Community
Pictou County CHB will conduct a needs assessment in the African Nova Scotian community.

Community Health Board Level 3 Grant

Betting on Health
These CHBs will develop and launch a social marketing campaign to promote gambling prevention and treatment options.