Campinas opens a tele-assistance service to treat problem gambling
Campinas, in the Brazilian state of São Paulo, launched a tele-assistance service for people with problem gambling called Virando o Jogo on Thursday, September 3. It is supported by a team of 12 people, including psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists, and the program incorporates a self-assessment developed by the University of São Paulo to detect possible signs of the problem.
Access is designed to lower the barrier to entry. Residents access it through the Digital Health platform, by phone, or online, and the first contact is with a virtual assistant named Ana. From there, they are referred to the health team or, when necessary, to treatment within the municipal network. Those who prefer face-to-face care have access to 15 Psychosocial Care Centers and 69 health centers spread across Campinas.
Mayor Dário Saadi described the initiative as a structured program that opens doors through telemedicine, coordinated with the municipal psychiatric care network and with a collaboration he considers important: that of Unicamp's psychoactive substance clinic. His description of the target audience was specific: patients who are currently compromising family income with gambling and who are also exposed to advertising he described as abusive.
Lair Zambon, Secretary of Health, framed the issue as a national problem and highlighted two things. One is the role of the family, which in his opinion is fundamental when working together and supporting the individual. The other points to the system itself: health professionals need to feel capable of facing what he described as a new illness, and that is why they involved the university, because it is also necessary to build experience in how to treat it.
Gambling should be an informed choice and not an escape from a problem. If you feel it has stopped being recreational, seek professional help and reach out to the assistance services available in your jurisdiction.
Tags: Campinas, Turning the Game Around, Dário Saadi, Lair Zambon, Unicamp