Real-Time Course

starting in October 2025.

Are you ready to advance your career in behavioral health? This live online training provides the 30 educational hours required to become certified as a Gambling Addictions Counselor (CGAC) in Oregon. Why join this course? There are many reasons. First, it meets Oregon certification requirements. Second, it is led by experts in the field of problem gambling treatment. Third, it is interactive and flexible. It includes both live virtual classes, which are held on Friday mornings, and self-paced lessons. Fourth, course content is built around the evidence-based core competencies for problem gambling treatment providers. Lastly, the course is nationally recognized: it yields 30 continuing education hours approved by NBCC (National Board for Certified Counselors), IPGGC (International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization), and MHACBO (Mental Health & Addictions Certification Board of Oregon).

Course curriculum

    1. Welcome!

    2. Course Description

    3. Course Objectives

    4. Before we begin...

    5. Your Professional Background

    6. Pretest Invitation

    7. Pretest

    8. Session 1 Introduction

    9. Session 1 Learning Objectives

    10. Session 1 Relevant Core Competencies

    11. Session 1 Zoom Invite

    12. Knowledge areas for certification exam

    13. REQUIRED Reading: SAMSHA Introduction to Problem Gambling

    14. REQUIRED Reading: Gambling Research Exchange Ontario Rapid Evidence Review

    15. REQUIRED Reading: Guide to Oregon's Core Competencies for Problem Gambling Treatment Providers

    16. REQUIRED Reading: Impact of Gambling on Public Health

    17. Handout: Instructor Slide Deck

    18. Handout: Warning Signs

    19. Fact Sheet: Gaming and Gambling

    20. OPTIONAL Resource: Gambling Moderation / Harm Reduction

    21. ADDITIONAL Resources

    22. PLEASE WATCH BEFORE next session

    23. Session 1 Recording Spring 2025

    1. Session 2 Introduction

    2. Session 2 Learning Objectives

    3. Session 2 Relevant Core Competencies

    4. Session 2 Zoom Invite

    5. Required: GPQ Pathways Model Assessment

    6. REQUIRED Reading: National Council on Problem Gambling Gambling Assessment Manual

    7. REQUIRED Resource: OHA Problem Gambling Assessment

    8. OPTIONAL Resource: ASAM Criteria

    9. Handout: Example of Relapse Prevention Plan

    10. Handout: Instructor Slide Deck

    11. Session 2 Recording Spring 2025

    1. Session 3 Introduction

    2. Session 3 Learning Objectives

    3. Session 3 Relevant Core Competencies

    4. Session 3 Zoom

    5. REQUIRED Reading: NCPG Problem Gamblers and Their Finances

    6. Video: Persons in recovery talking about money

    7. Session 3 Recording Fall 2024

    8. Past Handout: Instructor Slide Deck

    1. Session 4 Introduction

    2. Session 4 Learning Objectives

    3. Session 4 Zoom Invite

    4. Session 4 Relevant Core Competencies

    5. Handout: Instructor Slide Deck

    6. REQUIRED Reading: Motivational Interviewing in Problem Gambling

    7. Session 4 Recording Spring 2025

    1. Session 5 Introduction

    2. Session 5 Learning Objectives

    3. Session 5 Relevant Core Competencies

    4. Session 5 Zoom Invite

    5. Resource: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

    6. Resource: Safety Plan

    7. REQUIRED Reading: MHACBO Code of Conduct

    8. REQUIRED Reading: IPGGC Code of Ethics for Clinical Professionals

    9. REQUIRED Reading: IPGGC Code of Conduct for Clinical Professionals

    10. REQUIRED Reading: Principles of Trauma Informed Care

    11. OPTIONAL Reading: IPV in Treatment Seeking Gamblers

    12. Session 5 Recording Spring 2025

    1. Session 6 Introduction

    2. Session 6 Relevant Core Competencies

    3. Session 6 Zoom Invite

    4. REQUIRED Reading: Evidence Based Treatments Chapter 4 and 6

    5. Session 6 Recording Spring 2025

About this course

  • $195.00
  • 95 lessons
  • 95.5 hours of video content

Instructors

Instructor Dave Hsiao

Dave Hsiao, MA, LPC, CADC III, CGAC II has been working in the counseling field for 20 years. He specializes in Substance Use and Problem Gambling with other co-occurring mental health diagnoses. Focusing on improving outcomes, Dave compassionately addresses multicultural issues in the program he manages by working closely with his team in communication with vulnerable populations and their families. He trains and supervises recovery mentors and counselors, and he provides leadership in outreach to communities with developed programs he facilitates in the Portland area and at the Oregon coast.

Instructor Raul Ramirez

Raul Ramirez, CADC II, CGAC II, QMHA is a bilingual (English and Spanish) provider, who has been in the field since 2015. He has experience providing clinical supervision for clinicians working towards their CADC (Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor) and/or CGAC (Certified Gambling Addictions Counselor) certifications. He currently works at Oregon Health Authority (OHA) as the Problem Gambling Treatment Specialist and is a member of the Multiethnic Advisory Committee (MAC), whose mission is to improve and expand awareness of gambling among underserved populations, and to support one another in creating community. He has been an advocate for equity and providing culturally responsive care to the LGBTQIA2S+ and Latin/x populations. He has expertise in program / systems development and growth, internal systems enhancement, retention / engagement, community organization and education. He has passion and commitment to serving individuals and leading with compassion in the work he does.

OHA Instructor Brandie Lyday

Brandie Lyday, LMFT, CGACII, CADCIII is an AAMFT Approved Supervisor and the Oregon Health Authority Problem Gambling Treatment Program Development Analyst. She provides family therapy supervision to Problem Gambling Services at Lewis & Clark College, where she is an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School of Counseling, Therapy, and School Psychology. Brandie’s recent work has focused on problem gambling program development and clinical supervision. She has previously worked with clients involved in the criminal legal system as an outpatient addiction treatment specialist providing individual, group, couple, and family therapies.

Instructor Cort Dorn-Medeiros

Cort M. Dorn-Medeiros, PhD, LPC, CADC III is an Assistant Professor in the Professional Mental Health Counseling - Specialization in Addiction program and current Department Chair of the Counseling, Therapy, and School Psychology department at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR. Areas of specialization include substance use and process addictions, co-occurring disorders, integrated care, and motivational interviewing and motivational enhancement therapy. Dr. Dorn-Medeiros is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor III in the state of Oregon. Dr. Dorn-Medeiros is a co-founder and program director of the Gaming and Tech in Excess (GATE) program at the Lewis & Clark Community Counseling Center. Dr. Dorn-Medeiros is published in a variety of academic outlets and most recently has published a book chapter on promoting technology safety and digital citizenship in school counseling.

Veronica Valdez

Vernoica Valdez, marriage and family therapist registered associate, CGACII, CADC-R & QMHP-R provides integrated mental health, gambling, Neurofeedback, and substance use disorder treatment in Eugene, Oregon at Emergence Addictions and behavioral health. She currently holds a Masters of Marriage, Couple and Family Therapy from Lewis and Clark College, where she interned at Lewis and Clark’s Problem Gambling Services. When Veronica is not working, you can find her salsa dancing, reading anything romantasy, or cuddling her 6 year old Pitbull Dante.

Senior Instructor Teresa McDowell

Teresa McDowell, Ed.D., LMFT is a professor emerita at Lewis & Clark, in Portland, Oregon, where she served as Department Chair and co-founded Lewis & Clark’s Problem Gambling Services. Dr. McDowell has served as a licensed marriage and family therapist, family therapy educator, program director, educational administrator, and consultant over the past 40 years. Her work has primarily focused on counselor education and workforce development, organizational consultation, international family therapy, equity-based clinical practice, integrated treatment for problem gambling, and clinical supervision. She currently serves as a social researcher, program evaluator, and consultant with Partners in Social Research and is the senior instructor for the Advanced Career Online Resource Network (ACORN). Dr. McDowell has published over 50 refereed journal articles and book chapters. She has presented her work at numerous conferences across eight countries. She is the author of Applying Critical Social Theory to Family Therapy Practice and first co-author of Socioculturally Attuned Family Therapy: Guidelines for Equity-Based Theory and Practice (1st and 2nd Editions). Her work in problem gambling treatment includes authoring the Working with Families in Problem Gambling Treatment handbook, research on core competencies for problem gambling counselors and prevention specialists, and extensive contributions to the development of Oregon’s problem gambling treatment workforce.

Pricing

Course cost is subsidized by the Oregon Health Authority Problem Gambling Services (OHA PGS).

ACORN

is committed to excellence.

ACORN has been approved by the International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization (IPGGC) and the Mental Health & Addiction Certification Board of Oregon (MHACBO) to provide continuing education courses. Additionally, ACORN has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7274. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. ACORN is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) logo
International Problem Gambling and Gaming Certification Organization (IPGGC)