Elgin Area Chamber Of Commerce: News From Ecker Center For Behavioral Health

Press release from the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce:

March 03, 2022

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Ecker News Read about our news and latest updates. March is the month when spring officially begins, and Daylight Savings goes into effect on the second Sunday of the month.  As a month of renewal and rebirth, we hope that you and your family uses March as a time to start healthy habits and practice self-care for your mental health. In March, we celebrate National Social Workers Month!  "Social workers are essential. They help the most vulnerable people in our society and make a lasting difference in the lives of people and entire communities.  Social workers better the society that we live in.  Let’s all recognize and honor the Social Workers in our Ecker community. Thank you for your hard work and dedication!" shared by Ecker’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Ramona Grauzinis. Ecker supports National Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM), which is held annually in March and is designed to increase public awareness of problem gambling.  Scroll down to learn more about Ecker's Problem Gambling Services and other resources available. We are looking forward to our Spring Fundraising Event, which will be held virtually this year.  Scroll down to learn more about what we have planned and how you can get involved! Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM), held annually in March, is designed to increase public awareness of problem gambling. In collaboration with the National Council on Problem Gambling, Ecker Center dedicates the month of March to helping individuals who may be experiencing problem gambling.   As March Madness reaches a crescendo with an estimated $10 billion in bets placed on the NCAA basketball championship games, calls to the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-Gambler) historically spike during the month. The 2022 PGAM theme, “Awareness + Action,” is all about taking action by having conversations about problem gambling issues and directing people to the help they may need.  Approximately 2 million U.S. adults (1% of the population) are estimated to meet criteria for a gambling disorder.  Another 4 to 6 million (2-3%) are considered to meet criteria for problem gambling.  Yet, for many residents of the US, gambling remains a hidden addiction.   A 2017 WalletHub report ranks Illinois second for “gambling problems and treatment” and at the top of the list for the most gambling-related arrests per capita. Ecker Center for Behavioral Health’s mission is to optimize the well-being of individuals and communities through the delivery of accessible, comprehensive and quality behavioral health care which includes prevention, education and intervention – including problem gambling. The financial and emotional consequences of problem or compulsive gambling can be devastating for individuals and families.  Help is available near you! A certified gambling counselor is available at Ecker’s Elgin and St. Charles locations.  Call (847) 695-0484, Ext. 2024 for additional information. The National Problem Gambling Helpline is free, confidential, and available 24/7.   Click here to chat with a Helpline Specialist. Visit the Illinois Council on Problem Gambling’s website  for more information about problem gambling and how to increase awareness and action on problem gambling. Think you may have a problem? Click here to take a self-assessment. Ecker's Problem Gambling Treatment Program offers counseling and self-exclusion services for adults with a gambling disorder and includes an educational component that focuses on at-risk behaviors and the consequences of problem gambling. Ecker employee, Nicole Lewis, CADC (pictured on the right), is a Gambling Counselor that has been facilitating problem gambling counseling services since May of 2019.  When meeting with new clients, she provides them with:

• Education on the progression of gambling and the cycle of addiction
• Identification of what triggers gambling episodes and how to prevent a relapse
• Review of finances and guidance on how to create a new budget and financial plan
• Skill development on how to respond to negative feelings and emotions with healthy behaviors
• Support with the recovery process and development of the goal of abstinence from gambling

Nicole would like people to know:  "You don’t have to fight problem gambling on your own, and you don’t need to continue suffering by living the way you’ve been living!  Help and support go a long way when battling a gambling disorder, and you don’t have to fight the fight alone.  We have resources, tools, and we are trained to help you through this difficult journey into recovery." If you think you may have a problem with gambling, help is a just phone call away!  Contact our Intake Department to schedule a confidential assessment for yourself or a loved one at (847) 695-0484. Ecker's Collaborative Crisis Service Unit (CCSU)* is supporting the Elgin Police Department in their efforts to raise funds for Special Olympics Illinois by participating in this year's Polar Plunge!  And they invite you to join them! Taken from the  EDP Facebook page : Special Olympics Illinois is once again taking place this year ~ IN ONE WEEK ~ on March 6th at 10:00 a.m. We will be plunging at the Twin Lake Recreation Area located in Palatine. *The Collaborative Crisis Service Unit (CCSU) is a partnership between Ecker Center for Behavioral Health and the Elgin Police Department and is comprised of two EPD officers and three behavioral health professionals.  CCSU is responsible for responding to mental health-related crises in the community and conducting follow-up visits for individuals who could benefit from behavioral health services.  Primary areas of focus are mental and behavioral health, substance misuse, and homelessness issues. CLICK HERE to visit the Special Olympics Illinois' website where you can support Team EPD’s fundraising efforts. We would like to thank Gary Kosnoff and Rosemary Riccio from OneDigital for their generous donation of some fabulous office equipment, including several tables and chairs!  Not only did they donate such great items, they delivered them to us as well! Thank you so much, OneDigital, for thinking of Ecker Center - everything we received will all be put to good use! Join us on May 1st for our "Self-Care Sunday" virtual event, and enjoy watching educational and inspirational videos with tips on how to combat stress and feel your best from the comfort of your own home! You may also bid on a variety of self-care and wellness themed gift baskets and treat yourself (or a lucky loved one) to an experience you truly deserve! We are currently looking for providers of mental health or wellness services to sponsor video segments, donations for gift basket items, and volunteers to help on the day of the event. Contact Jennifer Flory at jflory@eckercenter.org if you're interested in getting involved! Order a May Day basket filled with fresh flowers, candy, and other treats to give to someone special and brighten their day!  Orders will be accepted beginning in April and available for pickup or (limited) delivery on May 1st at our Grandstand location. Also, plan to visit us on social media every Monday in May to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month and get tips on how to prioritize YOUR mental health! We are currently seeking sponsors for the May Day basket fundraiser, sponsors for Mental Health Mondays, and volunteers for assembly and distribution of the baskets. Contact Jennifer Flory at jflory@eckercenter.org if you're interested in helping out! Do your online shopping through AmazonSmile, and Amazon will donate a percentage of the price of eligible purchases to Ecker Center! No fees or extra costs to you! Click on the image above or go to smile.amazon.com and select "Ecker Center for Behavioral Health" as your favorite charitable organization! Every penny helps! Our generous donors and community supporters make it possible for us to provide essential behavioral health services to thousands of individuals in our community. We are extremely grateful for your continued support! Get Our Latest Updates Add your email... 1845 Grandstand Place, Elgin, IL, USA (847) 695-0484 Share on social Check out our website  

This press release was produced by the Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.