(TOPEKA, Kan.)—
The Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services is seeking community leaders, gambling addiction professionals and concerned citizens to serve on a Problem Gambling Task Force for the Northeast Gaming Zone in the Kansas City area. The task force will serve as a link to the northeast Kansas community and will work to address unique local needs that stem from gambling addictions.
Task forces have already been established for the West Gaming Zone, which includes Dodge City's Boot Hill Casino, and the South Central Gaming Zone near Wichita.
Although the task force in Northeast Kansas will not be required to model itself after the other two, the Northeast Kansas task force will have similar goals and may adopt some of the strategies that are already working in the other communities.
The Sedgwick County area task force in the South Central Gaming Zone has identified three top priorities: advocacy, education and prevention.
Under that umbrella, the task force uses multiple tools to connect with the community: working with local governments on Problem Gambling Awareness proclamations, community outreach presentations, maintaining social media presences, providing educational resources to schools and raising awareness through collaboration with local media.
The task forces typically meet monthly for at least an hour.
