Chances and Choices
In December, VPGH certified peer recovery specialists Azeem Majeed and Matthew Britt facilitated “Chances and Choices: Understanding Gambling, Recovery, and Reentry,” a workshop for probationers at the Cold Springs Community Corrections Alternative Program (CCAP) within the Virginia Department of Corrections.
Majeed and Britt talked about how risk-taking behaviors can be a coping mechanism for incarcerated individuals, and that gambling is linked to stress, trauma and re-entry pressure. The workshop also outlined common forms of gambling in correctional settings, and signs and symptoms of gambling disorder.
In a guided group discussion, Majeed and Britt encouraged participants to reflect on the differences between healthy and unhealthy risk-taking, identify common triggers during re-entry, and how to reach out for support in the future.
But the CCAP workshop was about more than education. Majeed and Britt also shared a message of hope, second chances, and personal empowerment. By addressing problem gambling through a recovery-focused and reentry-informed lens, they hope to help individuals build insight, resilience, and healthier pathways forward as they transition back into the community.
“There are a lot of crimes that are motivated by gambling,” Majeed says. “If they haven’t received treatment for their gambling addiction, it can lead to increased recidivism. We’re trying to stop that.
“We’re providing them with the resources that they need, so that when they re-enter society, they don’t have to feel like they’re alone. They’re going to have that support.”
The workshop was the first in an ongoing partnership between VPGH and CCAP. The next session is scheduled for February, with plans to host additional sessions every two to three months as new probationers come into the program. VPGH will also provide ongoing peer support groups that meet regularly throughout each month.
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