Birches Health: Accelerating the Conversation
Birches Health founder Elliott Rapaport recently spoke with G3 Media editor William Bolton speak about Birches Health’s pioneering online counseling services and why the focus must be on the 21-to-40-year-old sports betting demographic to ensure best-in-class clinical outcomes.
Below are some notable excerpts from the full interview:
Could you tell us more about Birches Health and what services the program provides?
Birches Health is a pioneering provider of behavioral health services in the U.S., with a special focus on the prevention and treatment of problem gambling, gambling disorders, and associated mental health issues. Our organisation provides cutting-edge solutions for responsible gaming, including online educational resources, interactive learning modules, and accessible treatment options, all from licensed, specialized behavioral health clinicians.
Birches Health offers comprehensive care and support to those dealing with problem gambling and other behavioral addictions, guaranteeing convenient access to resources and assistance.
Why are the majority of problem gamblers unable to access care through traditional channels?
Many individuals struggling with gambling disorder are unable to access specialized treatment due to financial costs, a lack of specialization, and location constraints. In particular, the cost of treatment is a key driver making care prohibitively expensive for many individuals. Traditional treatment options can often reach costs of hundreds of dollars per session - which can stop problem gamblers securing much needed help. This dynamic is magnified when you consider that many individuals struggling with gambling disorder may already be facing complex financial situations.
What's your assessment of today's problem gambling landscape? How has it changed since Birches Health was established?
Birches Health launched at the start of 2023, and even in this short time there has been a notable change in the problem gambling landscape. There is certainly more focus on responsible gambling (RG) resources and access to problem gambling (PG) treatment within the industry. Better awareness of gambling harms and treatment options is only a good thing, as it highlights the proactive approach required from stakeholders to address gambling-related issues.
From our standpoint, a large change that we’ve seen is the media coverage that has accelerated the conversation around problem gambling. This communication plays a crucial role in growing public awareness and bringing the topic to the forefront. It therefore becomes even more important to meet this shift by creating and implementing effective RG measures, which include providing more comprehensive resources and easier access to treatment options.
Is increasing awareness of the help that's available an ongoing challenge?
Increasing awareness of specialized resources and treatment like Birches Health is vital to guaranteeing regulated platforms are a central component of a healthy ecosystem. With the now widespread proliferation of sports betting and iGaming products, we all play a part in ensuring gambling harms are minimized.
Whilst problem gambling can affect anyone from any walk of life, have you found certain demographics to be typically more susceptible than others?
While gambling disorder may be the majority of our patient population, due to the significant incidence of co-occurring disorders, our clinical specialties extend across the gambling, gaming, compulsive sexual behaviours, substance use disorder, and more.
The fastest growing segment of our patient population is without a doubt sports betting. Our research shows that a needed concentration must be on the 21-to-40 year old sports betting demographic to ensure best-in-class clinical outcomes.
How is Birches Health looking to expand its program of gambling-specialized care?
We’ll be scaling up our specialized services for 18- to 40-year-old sports bettors as we recognize the unique challenges faced by this demographic.
We’ve already launched new resource programs designed for individuals eager to educate themselves about potentially at-risk behaviors before they require treatment. These programs will offer early intervention and awareness, empowering individuals to recognize and address gambling issues proactively.
Additionally, we are bringing our specialized care programs to more regulated states across the U.S. This expansion is crucial to making our services accessible to a broader audience and ensuring that more people can benefit from our expertise in gambling-related care. Working with more expert counsellors is also something we’ll look to do as it strengthens the support system for our clients.
Lastly, we are making sure our service is as accessible and flexible as possible, as we firmly believe there should be no rigid criteria to receive support. Our treatment courses are created to be inclusive and adaptable, meaning that anyone who needs help can access it.
