NCFADS is excited to partner with the North Carolina Problem Gambling Program to offer a two pre-conference tracks. Pre-conference Tracks will be held Sunday through Tuesday at the Hotel Ballast.
Sunday, July 19 | 1:00 – 5:30 PM
Monday, July 20 | 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM
Tuesday, July 21 | 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM
Cost: $237
Register: CLICK HERE and select the Pre-Conference Option
Program Overview:
The NCPGP Leadership Accelerator is a three-day advanced training institute for gambling treatment and recovery practitioners who have completed foundational gambling-specific training and are actively providing services. This institute moves beyond the basics to build clinical depth, leadership capacity, and cross-sector relationships needed to sustain and expand quality care across North Carolina.
Detailed Description:
The Leadership Accelerator is an advanced clinical training institute for gambling treatment and recovery practitioners who have completed foundational training and are actively offering gambling related harm services. This institute represents the next phase of workforce development for the North Carolina Problem Gambling Program, moving practitioners from competency to leadership.
The Accelerator deepens clinical expertise, builds cross-sector relationships, and prepares participants to lead and expand the continuum of care in their local communities. Sessions are experiential and practitioner-led throughout. A county-level data lab is woven across all three days, drawing from current North Carolina gambling research and public health surveillance data so participants engage with findings specific to the regions and or populations they serve.
The institute opens with current North Carolina gambling data and related activities led by researchers from East Carolina University. Monday focuses on clinical tools and practice, including sessions on clinical practice development, working with families and affected others, hands-on training with a digital between-session support application, and AI-powered clinical simulation with case consultation. Tuesday centers on leadership and sustainability, opening with a session on the policy and legislative landscape, followed by a practitioner-led session on lessons learned from implementing gambling services inside a treatment center. A dedicated session addresses how to shift the professional culture of behavioral health settings to become more gambling-related harm informed. Additional sessions cover sports betting and technology’s influence on gambling harm and practice development.
Learning Objectives
Following the Accelerator, participants will be able to:
Cost: NCPGP Scholarship Applicants Only, Please contact Alison Wood at alison.wood@dhhs.nc.gov for more information.
What is it? The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program is offering scholarships for middle school and high school teachers, school social workers, school counselors, other school administrators, behavioral health professionals who work with youth, and prevention professionals who work in schools and after-school programs to attend the North Carolina Foundation for Alcohol and Drug Studies (NCFADS) 2026 Pre-Conference Youth Prevention Education Summer School in Wilmington, NC at Hotel Ballast Wilmington on Sunday, July 19 – Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
What will I learn? NCFADS 2026 Pre-Conference Youth Prevention Education Summer School will provide teachers and staff dedicated to teaching youth prevention education in schools and after-school programs a 2.5-day workshop to learn the “how” and the “why” behind teaching a triple literacy approach of brain health, mental health, and media literacy by exploring topics of emotional intelligence, teacher wellbeing, causes of and the neuroscience addiction, and uncovering stigma. Once the foundation of knowledge has been created, the participants will dive into learning the 10-module youth prevention education curriculum and discuss ways to engage students and help them consider alternative ways of thinking through peer-to-peer learning, collaborative conversations, group activities, and engaging materials.
What is the youth prevention education program? The North Carolina Problem Gambling Program addresses youth problem gambling as part of a broader effort to prevent high-risk behaviors among young people. The youth prevention education 10-module program educates students about how high-risk behaviors and environments—social, physical, and digital—can create toxic stress. This stress impairs critical thinking and emotional regulation, often leading young people to develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. Over time, these patterns can evolve into harmful behaviors and addictions that compromise brain health. Through an evidence-informed curriculum, students explore the neuroscience behind both healthy and unhealthy behaviors and environments. In addition, the students will learn about positive and tolerable stress and how help-seeking behaviors promote overall wellbeing. The program uses interactive learning methods, including self-reflection exercises and real-life examples and analysis of a relatable character’s choices named Sam the Fish, to help students recognize behavioral patterns in themselves and others. By understanding the science of stress, decision-making, and addiction, students gain tools to make healthier choices and build resilience.
How do I apply? A limited number of scholarships are available. All of those who attend summer school must commit to teaching the 10-module curriculum to students during the 2026-2027 school year.
Please contact Alison Wood at alison.wood@dhhs.nc.gov for more information.