50-06-21. Gambling disorder prevention, awareness, crisis intervention, rehabilitation, and treatment services

50-06-21. Gambling disorder prevention, awareness, crisis intervention, rehabilitation, and treatment services. The department shall administer, develop, and implement a gambling disorder prevention, awareness, crisis intervention, rehabilitation, and treatment services program or contract with qualified treatment service providers for the development and implementation of a program for gambling prevention, awareness, crisis intervention, rehabilitation, financial counseling, and mental health treatment services. The program may provide outpatient services, partial care services, aftercare services, intervention services, financial counseling services, consultation services, or other forms of preventive, rehabilitative, or treatment services for individuals with a gambling disorder. An individual who provides treatment services must be a licensed professional operating within the individual's scope of practice. An individual who provides financial counseling services must be a certified consumer credit counselor with an accredited financial counseling agency. The department may establish a sliding payment scale for services under the program. The department may establish a centrally located repository of educational materials on identifying and treating gambling disorders. Any service fee collected by qualified treatment service providers for services provided under the contract must be applied toward the program's gambling disorder services. The term "qualified treatment service provider" means an entity based in North Dakota which is experienced in and capable of delivering gambling disorder education, prevention, awareness, crisis intervention, rehabilitation, financial counseling, and mental health treatment services as defined by the department of health and human services. The term "gambling disorder" means a chronic, progressive disease that is characterized by a preoccupation with gambling, loss of control over gambling behaviors, and oftentimes disregard for the negative consequences as a result of gambling. Gambling disorder includes gambling behavior that compromises, disrupts, or damages personal, family, or vocational pursuits.