PRINTER'S NO. 765
No. 709 Session of 1979
INTRODUCED BY REED, STEWART AND COHEN, MARCH 13, 1979
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE, MARCH 13, 1979
AN ACT
1 Providing for a pilot project to develop a program of treatment
2 for compulsive gamblers.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Legislative findings.
6 The General Assembly finds that compulsive gambling is a
7 serious social problem and there is evidence that availability
8 of gambling increases the risk of becoming a compulsive gambler.
9 Further, with the advent of legalized gambling, the Commonwealth
10 has an obligation to provide a program of treatment for those
11 persons who become addicted to gambling to the extent that it
12 seriously disrupts lives and families.
13 Section 2. Pilot project.
14 The Department of Public Welfare through the Commissioner of
15 Mental Health shall establish as a pilot project a center for
16 the treatment of compulsive gamblers. The Secretary of Public
17 Welfare may operate the center with department personnel or may
18 contract with any public or nonprofit agency to operate the
1 center. The center shall provide compulsive gambling programs to
2 provide inpatient services, outpatient services, partial care
3 services consultation and education services, aftercare
4 services, and other forms of preventive, treatment, or
5 rehabilitation services for compulsive gamblers. Research and
6 training designed to improve and extend the foregoing services
7 shall be proper items of expenditure.
8 Section 3. Compulsive gambler defined.
9 A "compulsive gambler" is a person who is chronically and
10 progressively preoccupied with gambling and the urge to gamble,
11 with gambling behavior that compromises, disrupts, or damages
12 personal, family, or vocational pursuits.
13 Section 4. Effective date.
14 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
B26L32ML/19790H0709B0765 - 2 -