The Program offers free outreach support, outpatient counselling, and treatment groups to all residents of British Columbia. As a resident of British Columbia, you are eligible to receive these free services by telephone, online or in person. You have read the Virtual Health consent form and understand the benefits and risks of using telephone or video for counselling.
The Program aims to make sure that you benefit from counselling. Overall, GSBC has very good outcomes and our counselling makes a real difference to our clients. Overall, 77% of our clients achieve reliable, significant improvement in their well-being within an average of 8 sessions. Clients can typically expect significant improvement in their well-being after 3 to 5 visits.
Your feedback at each visit helps your counsellor understand whether counselling is making a difference, and if changes of approach are needed, in order that you can feel better sooner than later.
You can end counselling services at any time, and we cannot guarantee that attending counselling will prevent further relapses or significant gambling losses.
The Program has a zero-tolerance policy regarding threats, aggression, or violence. You, and your counsellor, each have the right to terminate services.
Feedback
Your feedback helps us improve how services are delivered. You can provide feedback to management at
gambling.support@gov.bc.ca If you are not getting what you need, please talk with your counsellor. If you don’t feel comfortable talking to your counsellor, please contact the Clinical Director, Doung Koo at gambling.support@gov.bc.ca.
Cancellations
You agree to give 24 hours’ notice for cancelled or rescheduled appointments. After 2 late cancellations, your counsellor will discuss the appropriateness of continuing counselling.
Confidentiality of Personal Information & Limits to Confidentiality
All treatment and support services are confidential. No information is disclosed outside the Program without your informed consent except in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Circumstances in which your information could be disclosed include:
- When there is a clear and present risk of imminent harm to you or another person;
- When there is suspicion of neglect or harm to a minor or vulnerable adult;
- When legally ordered to do so by court subpoena;
- When case consultations and confidential audits are required within the program.
For Program administration purposes, you will be assigned an anonymous client ID to track your time in the Program. Your counsellor may consult about your progress with the Clinical Director, other Program counsellors, Gambling Support outreach providers, or a Program-approved clinical consultant to help you get results. Your information will only be released, outside of the above noted circumstances, when you have signed a “Release of Information Consent Form” noting to whom particular information may be released.