Northwest Iowa Alcoholism & Drug Treatment Unit, Inc. has been providing substance abuse treatment services to the residents of Northwest Iowa since 1969. Prevention services have been offered since 1982. From a one room office in Spencer, Iowa, we have expanded to nine offices covering the counties of Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Sioux, and Kossuth.

Prevention: our goal is to reduce the risk that a person who is not chemically dependent will ever experience an alcohol or drug related health or impairment problem. Our staff coordinates information campaigns and speaking engagements to promote community collaboration. We consult with organizations (business, industry, schools, etc.) to assist in education and policy development.

Northwest Iowa Alcoholism & Drug Treatment Unit, Inc. provides gambling prevention and treatment services. This agency is neither for nor against gambling. Our goal is to assist area residents in choosing healthy life choices and reduce the risk of problems associated with pathological or problem gambling.

GAMBLING PREVENTION

Northwest Iowa Alcoholism & Drug Treatment Unit, Inc. provides materials and services to increase awareness of the risks associated with gambling.

Prevention presentations are designed to:

1. Enable parents and other family members to help their children make safe, legal, and low-risk choices about gambling. Activities assist parents in talking with their children about risks and establishing personal guidelines for choices about whether, when, and how much to gamble.

2. Assist classroom teachers and other youth leaders in helping young people acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to make choices about whether, when, and how much to gamble. Students develop a personal set of guidelines for gambling and also learn how to recognize a gambling problem.

3. Provide information regarding what to do if you are worried about someone’s gambling, what to say to someone whose gambling concerns you, and where to go for help.

Help is available to everyone. Our staff facilitates discussions in settings ranging from middle school classrooms to adult forums, including civic, religious, and social group meetings, etc.